


The Hidden Blade of the Leaf

by Shiori_chan



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adoption, Alcohol, All in good time, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anbu Haruno Sakura, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Shiranui Genma, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, BAMF Haruno Sakura, Biting, Casual Sex, Claiming Bites, Denial of Feelings, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Freeform, Hatake lore drop, I guess that makes this a, I'll get better at tags eventually, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, It'll get smuttier later I promise, Jealousy, Like omegaverse but not the same, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Open Relationships, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay, Other, Personal Canon, Porn with Feelings, Possessive Behavior, Praise Kink, Sakura is a little oblivious to those feelings for now, Scent Marking, Scents & Smells, Slow Burn, Smut, Teasing, Updating tags as I go, Workplace Sex, mostly angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:13:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 83,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24552916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiori_chan/pseuds/Shiori_chan
Summary: (Reworked Summary)It's been two years since Team 7 disbanded. Change is inevitable.~•~•~•~•~"I am a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, and I will honor that commitment before any others."All the shinobi she'd failed on her last mission would be her reminder, her motivation, that she had to persevere and become better. She couldn't allow such failure ever again. Sasuke, Naruto, even Kakashi-sensei… they'd left because she wasn't strong enough to hold them together. They didn't see the potential in her, but that didn't matter. She'd prove them all wrong. She'd show them all.~~~~~~~~~~~~"Your bloodline has finally caught up with you, Kakashi."Kakashi really wanted to finish reading that journal. He still couldn't believe he had a whole book full of his mother's words. He was eager to read them, but apprehensive. While he would learn more about Mother, he would also learn more about himself and his clan and Kakashi wasn't sure he'd like what he found. He was the last living Hatake, and he'd spent most of his life ignoring the implications of that.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura/Inuzuka Kiba, Haruno Sakura/Shiranui Genma
Comments: 295
Kudos: 615





	1. Second Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I've been waiting so long for inspiration to strike!
> 
> I've decided to write a fic wherein the fourth Shiobi war hasn't happened yet, while also creating different drama aspects and character interactions. 
> 
> I dont know how long I intend this one to be, probably not too long, but I'm hoping to establish some wonderful fluff (and maybe more, I'm still undecided)
> 
> I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think :)

~•~•~•~•~•~

The air was hot from where he stood. He shouldn't be overheating since it was such a fair day, and as the sun dropped even lower on the horizon, he knew he should be able to feel the air cooling against his skin, but the impending situation had him willing his sweat away. He squinted his eyes, the fading light from the setting sun in his eyes as he faced the Hokage's desk.

Kakashi was reporting to Lady Tsunade's summons, and was listening with increasing anxiety to the mission he was being assigned. His expression betrayed nothing. Even if he weren't wearing a mask, nothing in his features would betray anything more than cool acceptance and a touch of boredom.

"Due to the nature of the assignment, we aren't willing to send a full team. Remaining undetected is crucial. It is all well too known that our Shinobi travel in teams of four." Lady Tsunade said this to both of the Shinobi in front of her.

"I see. Wouldn't it be better then, if I went alone? One person would appear an even less-likely threat." Kakashi said, smoothly inserting another option, sounding well reasoned. "Likewise, it's more probable that the traffickers would notice two missing sooner, and I travel more quickly alone."

"No." Tsunade barked firmly, crossing her arms. "Reports have told us that there are a couple Jounin among them, and while you are very capable I can't take any chances, Kakashi. The village has few enough Jounin as it is. No," the Hokage sighed, rubbing her temples in deep thought. "Two is necessary."

The silver haired man didn't react when he felt her eyes on him. He could feel her peeking at him from sideways glances, probably wondering why he is arguing so vehemently for a solo mission. He knew she was smart enough to hear the hidden intent in his words: 'I don't want her to come.'

He didn't doubt her capability on the battlefield, far from it, but this mission far exceeded her rank, even if she was the best medic-nin besides the Hokage, overshadowing even Shizune. He doubted his own capability to think clearly while she was around in such a dangerous environment. His focus was supposed to be on the mission.

His lip curled slightly, amused, as she jumped and stood back at attention when Tsunade's voice rang out again.

"Having two creates a better cover story. Someone might find it suspicious if an injured refugee were traveling alone." Lady Hokage continued.

She spared no pretenses and shot him a scathing look as if she had, rightly so, expected him to come to that conclusion himself.

"And even though it's not a full team, I need an accomplished medic-nin to go along. And so as not to unbalance the fighting ability of an undermanned team, I couldn't think of anyone better suited than Sakura." A well-deserved tone of pride entered her voice as the Hokage nodded to her former apprentice.

He forced himself to admit that her reasoning was sound. His former student and subordinate was the logical choice, albeit the only choice. It was a difficult situation all around.

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade. I won't let you down." Sakura chimed sweetly.

Kakashi allowed himself a short glance in her direction as she spoke, noting the edge hidden in her honeyed tone, and found himself staring at the swordpoints in her eyes. He knew right away that she was _pissed_. He hid his growing trepidation.

Five years had passed since she'd begun as his student. He'd watched her mature into a formidable kunoichi. Often he'd see her training for long hours, even seeing her on those all too common restless nights, when he'd go out to clear his mind. Of those five years, the last two existed in which Team 7 had disbanded.

He had returned as an on-call Jounin, while Sai went back to ANBU. Naruto had set out to find Sasuke, who decided his peace could not be found within Konoha. He knew Sakura must still be upset with his decision, but he couldn't bring himself to stay.

"I expect you both at the South gate at 6 sharp tomorrow. Go pack provisions and get some rest." Tsunade ordered, turning back to her paperwork. The dismissal was obvious.

The pair bowed and exited the tower. They began walking silently down the halls, side by side. They'd just stepped outside to the quieting streets of the village when he sensed she was ready to speak. Before she could he smiled disarmingly, scratching his cheek lightly.

"Maa, I guess I'll see you in the morning, Haruno."

He watched her face fall, and an expression he couldn't quite place crossed her features. He felt bad being so formal with her, after three years on the same team it was definitely a stiff use of names, but it was necessary. He needed to highlight that distance. A reminder to himself.

"Goodnight, _Hatake-sama_." Sakura retorted, her green eyes flashing. Without pausing, she turned and disappeared up the next street.

Kakashi stood there for a moment, stung. He had half a mind to follow her, and after a moment's struggle, decided against it. It wouldn't do for him to be seen playing chase. He sighed and turned in the direction of his apartment.

He couldn't blame her. He'd started it, he reasoned, so it was a fair reaction... but that didn't make him feel any better about it. He stuck both hands in his pockets and as he walked, in no rush to arrive at his empty apartment.

He turned abruptly and made his way towards the food court instead. He might as well grab some dinner and stock up on travel rations while he had the chance.

Orders were orders after all.

He sat down at one of the smaller soup houses. He nodded politely to the girl who took his order and sat watching the street as he waited. The lull of the passerby gave his mind room to ponder his new mission.

The war skirmishes between the Hidden Sand and the Hidden Rain had left a couple hundred families homeless and the Hidden Leaf had agreed to give the families safe passage to the Hidden Mist, who was in a better position to receive refugees. But the refugees were disappearing before ever reaching the Land of Water, and that was creating tension between the Rain and Leaf village.

_Refugees from the Hidden Rain have been disappearing en route on their way to the Land of Water. So we are to set ourselves up as bait to be captured, instead of risking more civilians, in order to locate the traffickers base of operations._

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, not seeing anything in front of him as he reviewed the info he'd been given.

_Then we gather the necessary intel, provide support to the captured refugees, and escape. We are not to remain within the base for more than six hours. Then, we separate to report our intel to both the Hidden Leaf and the Hidden Mist. From there messenger shinobi will carry our report to the Hidden Rain, while I rejoin Sakura as support. Once we return to the Leaf, we resupply and, most likely, join the assault squad._

He didn't like the idea of Sakura traveling to the Hidden Mist alone. Protocol states that chunin aren't supposed to take solo assignments, but Tsunade was obviously making an exception. Since he was faster, it was his duty to make the report to the closer target.

Kakashi let out a heavy sigh. _How troublesome this has become._ He was still lost in his musings when someone slid into the seat next to him.

"Evening, Kakashi."

"Iruka." Kakashi greeted him with a courteous nod.

"Here you are shinobi-san." The shy hostess placed his food in front of him before scurrying off. He breathed in the scent of miso soup and udon. He always tended to order heartier meals before missions.

"I heard you got the trafficking mission with Sakura. Sounds like a tough one." The scarred shinobi said conversationally, placing his own order.

Kakashi tensed imperceptibly. He'd just returned from an off the books ANBU mission. With that mindset still struggling to release, he'd forgotten this was a public mission.

"Covert intel gathering. If we're smart, and with some luck, there won't be any fighting." He responded lightly.

Iruka chuckled humorlessly, "Luck never quite seems to be on our side, desu ne?"

The silver haired man ignored that comment, and lowered his mask to take a spoonful of his soup. He sat as he always did, at an angle, and moved with deft hands so that his face still appeared covered.

"I ran into Sakura a few moments ago," Iruka continued.

His exterior was still friendly, but Kakashi noticed his voice had become barbed. "She mentioned the mission, and seemed rather agitated about something."

"Did she now?" He feigned ignorance. He was getting irritated now. This was none of his business. "Maybe it's nerves, it's not every day a chunin gets assigned an A-rank mission."

"Mmh." Iruka grunted, suddenly looking evasive. "Maybe."

Kakashi glanced at him with interest. Unlike himself, this particular Jounin often struggled with keeping his thoughts under the surface. He remained silent, taking another sip of his soup.

"How long has it been now, since your team disbanded?" The brunette asked suddenly.

"Two years." Came the short reply.

Iruka smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "A lot can change in that amount of time."

 _What does that mean?_ Kakashi wondered. He got the sense that Iruka was trying to warn him about something.

"I've been busy. We're still low in number, us Jounin don't get much of a break." It was true that he'd been busy, but it had been more of a choice than he was letting on. He hadn't spent any time following up on his former squad members, except Sai who he saw from time to time during his occasional ANBU assignments.

"I'd noticed that Lady Hokage was sending you out more often." Iruka agreed. "She'd probably send me out more if it weren't for my students."

"I don't think I've been in the village for more than a day since my team separated." Kakashi assented. He quickly finished his food, tiring of this conversation. It felt as if he were traversing a minefield.

His discomfort had obviously reached Iruka. When he stood up, he found his path blocked by his younger counterpart.

"Yes?" He asked, allowing some challenge to filter into his voice.

Iruka took a visible step back, hesitating. "I think you should talk to Sakura before your mission tomorrow. It would be beneficial for you two to reacquaint after being apart for so long before taking up such an important mission."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Iruka wasn't behaving like himself. He was dancing around his own words as if they'd bite him if he fell out of pattern.

"That would be a bit unprofessional wouldn't it, at this time of night?" He asked in a hard voice.

He was getting angry now. Thoughts he'd buried were resurfacing with the new direction this conversation had taken.

He was pleased to see that Iruka blanched. The brunette hadn't seemed to take into account that it was finally night-time, and that it would be improper for him to show up at her home, uninvited, to ask her parents for an audience with their underage daughter.

Underage was a bit of a stretch, Kakashi knew. The Shinobi lifestyle didn't take age into account for most anything, as far as they were concerned Sakura was an adult from the moment she graduated at the academy. He recalled, painfully, that the pink haired girl had made her first kill at the tender age of 12.

Although she was recognized as an adult, he knew that even among the Shinobi what he had implicated was still a tender subject for some. But: the Haruno family was civilian. The civilian population still firmly held to the traditional standard that you weren't an adult until 18.

"Right. I'd forgotten." Iruka laughed nervously, adjusting his headband. "Well, have a good night." He stepped aside and hurried off, before his food even arrived.

 _Something is up_. Kakashi just didn't know what. He sighed and paid for both their meals and began walking in the direction of the civilian homes.

Despite himself, he was going to check on Sakura. Whatever was going on clearly centered around her, and once his curiosity reached a certain point, he could never help himself. He wouldn't be able to rest soundly tonight without answers.

Even at a casual pace it didn't take him long to reach the Haruno residence. He took a deep breath and adopted a professionally polite look before knocking.

A few moments passed before a woman answered the door. It took him a couple beats to realize that the woman was not Sakura's mother. This woman was younger, closer to his age, with soft brown hair, and equally brown eyes.

His eyes widened in surprise and he quickly remembered to speak. "Good evening. I'm looking for Sakura, I'm here to report additional intel for our mission tomorrow. Could I speak with her please." The lie came easily.

Her eyes widened as well, and he noted that once Sakura's name was mentioned she became anxious. "Honey?" She called inside, uncertain.

His confusion grew as Sakura's father, Kizashi, stepped into view. His eyes met with Kakashi's and grew hostile, but he remained respectful. "Kakashi-san. How may I help you?"

Kakashi stilled, and repeated his request. Something was off about all of this. He resisted the urge to uncover his sharingan to better study Kizashi's face while this unfolded.

Sakura's father was quiet for a moment. "Mai, please go back inside."

The brown haired woman immediately retreated inside, disappearing almost gratefully.

"I take it you haven't heard." Kizashi said, sighing. His arms were crossed over his chest rigidly.

"It seems I haven't." Kakashi said quietly. "What am I missing?" He could sense that the air was heavy with unspoken emotion from the father. He could smell the anger, grief, and regret coming off him in waves.

He felt a jolt of shock when Kizashi finally spoke.

"Sakura has been expelled from the Haruno line."

" _What_?" He was unable to hold back his startled response. He'd taken a step forward in his surprise, and as Kizashi scrambled back from him, he paused. It hadn't been his intention to frighten the man.

"After her mother passed, and she refused to retire the shinobi path, I had no choice." Sakura's father said firmly, taking a step back into his home. He deflated a little but stood firm. "I'm sorry Kakashi-san, but it's late and I don't feel like sharing this story tonight. Sakura isn't here."

With that statement the door slammed behind him, leaving Kakashi stunned by the turn of events.

 _Mebuki is dead, and Sakura isn't a Haruno anymore_...

He felt a rush of guilt as he remembered the look on her face before. Suddenly her reaction made perfect sense. Not only had he held her at a distance, he'd callously reminded her of the family she was no longer a part of. He loosed a frustrated sigh. What else had he missed while he'd been gone?

~•~•~•~•~

Sakura slammed the door behind her and threw herself down on the couch.

"Hey, take it easy." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at her from the other end of the couch. He'd not looked up from his book. "What's got you so upset?"

"Nothing." She grumbled, settling more comfortably.

The boy snorted, closing his book with a snap. "Yeah, right. There's practically smoke pouring from your ears."

Sakura glared at him wordlessly but Shikamaru met her gaze without flinching. He was used to her rages now.

"Don't be a drag and spit it out." He said simply, reopening his book.

"Kakashi's back." She grunted, removing her flak vest. Underneath she wore a skin-tight grey shirt with a throat guard, the sleeves reached her elbows. Beneath that was her mesh undershirt.

"Ah. A Team 7 reunion." Shikamaru inferred dryly.

Sakura snorted derisively. "Yeah. A-rank mission and all."

"You mean Tsunade's sending both of you?" The shadow user asked. He leaned forward looking interested. "Naruto is still gone, who else is going?"

"Just us."

There was a loaded silence between them for a moment as Shikamaru sat back and collected that information.

"Shouldn't ANBU be taking care of this?" He finally asked. "It may only be an A-rank but that's calculating for a full team."

Sakura grinned ruefully. This is what she loved yet hated about the black haired shinobi. She admired his cunning intellect. He knew how to play the game, which made things all the more difficult for her.

"Danzo must be sniffing around again if the Hokage is refraining from employing ANBU for a borderline S-rank." A deeper voice cut in from the kitchen.

"Oi, Shikaku-ojisan. He was almost there." Sakura said teasingly, looking over at him warmly.

Shikamaru scowled softly but then smiled at his father.

Both the teens remained comfortable as Shikaku sat down between them.

The Nara figurehead had taken her in almost two years ago after the dispute with her family. It had been awkward at first, but before long she felt at home. Between Shikaku's firm welcome, his wife's warm hospitality and his son's cool acceptance, the transition had been smooth.

"So you and Kakashi are back on the same team then." Shikaku rumbled, lighting a cigarette. "That must bring back a lot."

Sakura hesitated, her past memories murmuring softly from behind the wall she'd put up. "None of that's important. The mission comes first."

The older man glanced at her.

"Shikamaru. Your mother should be back soon, go out to meet her."

The younger boy stood and stretched, he almost seemed to have expected the dismissal. He left his book on the couch and shunshinned away. Sakura caught a couple glimpses of him through the window before he disappeared in the treeline. The Nara's lived at the forest edge of the village.

"Thank you." She sighed, relaxing. "I forget to tiptoe around him."

Shikaku chuckled. "I'll take that as a sign of your comfort with us, but you should be more careful, Sakura. It wouldn't take him long to realize that Tsunade _is_ sending an ANBU team, even if it is off the record."

Sakura sighed. "The Leaf's Hidden Blade."

She had officially joined ANBU last year, after a few months of trial assignments. They'd taken an intense interest in the 'Iryo-nin who could actually fight'.

Their missions, particularly their rescue missions, had been experiencing higher failure rates. Even when they did manage to recover their operatives, they would die from their wounds before making it home.

In the field, the medic-nins might as well be wearing targets on their back. Most medic-nin focused more training on their healing jutsus, and not enough time on their survival abilities. More and more of them were dying in the field, discouraging others from stepping up. Most medic-nin these days were defecting to the hospital.

Only a few select Jounin knew she'd been conscripted into ANBU: The Nara and Yanamaka clan heads, her team, which consisted of Raido, Tenzo, and Kotetsu, and then Lady Tsunade, Shizune and Iruka-sensei. The Leaf's Anbu was more lax about identity than the other villages, everyone in the village had an idea of who was in the ANBU, but in her case, her involvement was a rigid secret. As their only competent iryo-nin, they wanted her as nondescript as possible to avoid her being targeted more than was necessary. Even in ANBU, she was strictly known as Fox. Within headquarters they had the freedom to go maskless, but not her.

Shikaku nodded, his expression severe. "Retaining our place outside the conflict between the Sand and River hinge upon this mission's success. Tsunade is placing a great deal of trust in you."

"And Kakashi." Sakura added. She was burning with resentment at the thought of her former sensei. She thought that after a couple of years it wouldn't bother her anymore, but she was wrong. The idea that she hadn't been good enough to hold the team together haunted her.

"Him too." Shikaku agreed easily. Her feelings weren't hidden to him. As the last couple years had gone by, he had come to read her just as well as his own son. He grinned suddenly, catching her attention. "I think this mission will give you the chance to show him just how much you've changed. You have a lot to be proud of, Sakura."

Sakura experienced a surge of warmth for the older man, tears welling unbidden in her eyes. In many ways, he'd become the kind of father she had always wanted. One who supported her ninja career, who understood just how much value it held for her.

Shikaku stood and turned to face her. He wasn't finished. "And I have much pride for you, as if you were my own daughter. Last time I offered this you told me no, and I know now it had been too soon for me to ask such a thing, I wanted to relieve your pain, but I hope now that you'll reconsider. The Nara clan will always be behind you Sakura, no matter what, but we would be honored if you would accept our seal and become one of us." His voice became thick with emotion, "Do you accept, my daughter?"

Sakura met his fire filled eyes, unable to deny the strength of his feelings. The first time Shikaku had asked her this was two months after her mother had died, attacked by rogue shinobi on her way to visit her sister. She had still been coming to terms with being removed from the Haruno family line, and wasn't ready to let go of her mother, so she respectfully declined. But now she was ready.

She stood now and met his gaze with her own. Then she bowed, pressing her forehead to the floor. "The honor is mine, Otousan." She said solemnly.

Sakura was pulled to her feet immediately, and found herself wrapped in Shikaku's arms.

"About time." Shikamaru had returned, his mother Yoshino at his side.

Yoshino squealed happily and joined her arms around the pink haired girl as well. "Oh, I'm so happy! Welcome to the family, Sakura, officially." She said, tears streaming down her face. Shikamaru placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing firmly. 

She began to sing, her voice was gentle and full of love.

" _You are the sunshine for my shadow._

_Your light shines for all to see._

_I see the dancing darkness,_

_And know my soul flies free._

_Each day the skies darken,_

_And so the dancing fades,_

_Always know, my dear,_

_I will wait evermore_

_For the light of your face._ "

Before she knew it, Sakura felt her tears begin to fall. Here in the Nara's arms, she was finally home.


	2. All the Colors in a Rainbow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gomen.  
> That was painful to write, let alone read a dozen times as I edited.  
> As promised, a Shikamaru Broment.
> 
> And not as promised but its there, some hurt.
> 
> Mild Warning ⚠️ : Some violence and sleazy allusions.  
> \-------------------------------------------

Her eyes opened, the gentle birdsong filtering inside her open window along with the sun's first rays. She rolled over and glanced at her clock.

4:17 AM

_Shit, I woke up early._

She grumbled and got out of bed anyways.

She raised her arms over her head and stretched, her joints cracking loudly. She slept as she always did when in the village, in her black shorts and chest wrappings.

As she stretched Sakura felt the burn on her skin just above her left breast and smiled. She admired the new tattoo in the mirror above her dresser, the one that marked her as a member of the Nara clan.

It was a simple black circle the size of her palm, with three wavy lines running across, and three smaller pillar-like lines between them.

She'd asked for it as close to her heart as was respectable. Losing a few hours of sleep to have it done before she left had been more than worth it. By now she was well used to functioning on only a few short hours of sleep.

 _"I want to complete this mission as Nara Sakura."_ She'd told her pseudo-father, who had swelled with respective pride.

She'd been delighted to learn one of her new clan's secrets: the tattoo doubled as a seal.

It would allow her to store several items inside. She'd used similar fuinjutsu with scrolls on past missions, but having a personal one so readily available made her feel much more prepared.

She glanced at her ANBU tattoo, crimson red, on her right shoulder. She considered placing a genjutsu over it for their mission, since Kakashi hadn't been cleared, but decided against it. She couldn't think of a reason in which he'd see it. She would be wearing faux bandages after all, as part of her refugee disguise.

She carefully began preparing. It was much more difficult to decide what to bring, she found out, when you're supposed to get caught. She looked at the array of weapons she usually carried with a frown. If she were caught with any of this her cover would be blown instantly.

After some consideration she had filled a small bundle pack that she'd be carrying on her back. It had a couple civilian outfits, a bedroll, a few photographs of her mother, some food, and a nondescript pocket knife. It also held a couple basic survival items like a compass, extra bandages, and some matches. To a captor's eye, it would look like the sparse few items a girl had grabbed quickly before escaping her home.

She was now doubly grateful for her new tattoo. Now safely in her seal sat two kunai, her tantou, and two small, densely packed pouches. One was filled with an assortment of food pills that she intended to pass over to the refugees, and the other packed a fair amount of medical supplies. Sutures, disinfectant, bandages, antidotes and the like. She couldn't be sure she'd have the privacy to use her medical jutsus after being captured, so she needed a back up.

Next she carefully covered her right arm in bandages, from her shoulder to mid forearm. After a second of thought she also put some around her neck, since she was forgoing her throat guard. It wasn't much, but it relaxed her to know that there was at least one barrier between her jugular and open air, even if it was a small one.

From there she donned the civilian clothes that a chunin messenger had brought over last night, procured from the Hidden Rain. They wore different textile patterns over there, preferring lighter blues, browns, and yellows, compared to the greens, reds and blacks of the Leaf. She put on the thin brown leggings that reached just past her knees, and pulled the blue skirt on over them. To top it off, she slipped on the yellow blouse. It was flowy and loose compared to her normal shinobi attire.

As she examined the final product in the mirror she noticed distastefully that she looked much younger like this, a measly fourteen at _most_ compared to her seventeen.

Her pink hair was just past shoulder length, and her bangs framed her face. She'd let her hair grow back out after Team 7 disbanded, deciding to leave as many reminders behind as she could. Normally on missions she would braid it back to keep it out of the way, but today she let it be.

Sighing, Sakura grabbed her bag and left her room. It was only a little past five now but she'd rather be early than late, unlike _someone_ she knew.

She'd just stepped outside and began walking down the path when she sensed she wasn't alone, sensing another chakra approaching from behind. Unperturbed, she didn't react and kept walking.

"Hey, hold up a sec." Shikamaru yawned, jogging towards her. "Fuck, you're up early."

He looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. He hadn't put his hair up yet, instead it draped messily around his shoulders, a few stray hairs hanging over his face. He was also barefoot, in a pair of sweatpants and a black tank top.

"So are you." Sakura snorted as he blinked rapidly, trying to ease his drowsiness.

He smirked at her. "Gotta see my little sis off before her mission."

Sakura grinned at him before slugging his arm affectionately.

"Uh huh. Thing is, I know you _Aniki_ , and even you wouldn't get up this early just for that." She challenged him good-naturedly.

He heaved a dramatic sigh, placing a hand on his chest as if wounded by her accusation. "Well damn, try to do something nice…" He pouted.

"Out with it." She laughed.

He relaxed and smiled at her. He pulled the collar of his shirt down slightly, and Sakura noticed with a grin that his tattoo was in the place as hers, and pulled something from it. He handed it to her.

It was a small black case, and inside were a pair of earrings. They were simple black studs, and she recognized them from the Ino-Shika-Cho teams.

"If you'd been with us from the beginning, you would have gotten these after your chunin exams." Shikamaru explained. "Normally someone of a higher rank is supposed to give them to you, but father thought it would be alright for me to do it."

She held the case close to her chest, touched by the gesture.

"Now I know you can't wear them now, it would clash with your cover, but you should at least have them with you." He added with a sly grin. "But don't lose them, if you do, I'll be the one piercing your ears when you get back. Family tradition."

She stared at him, trying to gauge if he was kidding or not. "You wouldn't dare."

His grin widened at the challenge. "I wouldn't bet on that."

He pulled something else from his tattoo then and put it in her hands.

She glanced at it and recognized her ninja registration. Her eyes widened as she read it over.

**Ninja: Nara Sakura**

**NRN: 012601**

**Rank: Chunin**

**Age: 17**

**Blood Type: O**

Sakura's eyes snapped up to Shikamaru's.

"How did you get this done so quickly?" She asked in a hushed tone.

Normally it took at least a week to get an updated registration card.

Shikamaru shrugged, his hands clasped behind his head. "I called in a couple favors, no big deal."

She hugged him then, almost carrying him off his feet. After a moment's pause his arms came down and squeezed her fiercely. Sakura could feel his chin just barely resting on her head.

"Thank you." Sakura said softly. She felt happiness rise in her chest again as her new familial bonds solidified further.

"Just come back safe." He said firmly, ending the hug but keeping his hands on her shoulders. His black eyes met her green ones, trying to contain a shadow of worry. Sakura was reminded that he was aware of how dangerous her rapid approaching mission was supposed to be. "No unnecessary risks. Get it done and come back."

She nodded silently and turned back to the path, following its winding trail back to the village. She placed the gifts within her seal and took off at a run, intending to make one last stop before making for the South gate.

**~•~•~•~•~**

He was balanced, panting, on a small tree limb.

He felt silly, on reflection, that he'd not even realized he'd begun running away until he'd gotten to the edge of the memorial clearing.

After another second passed, Kakashi realized he'd instinctually masked his chakra signature well.

He had come to pay his respects to his fallen comrades, as he always did, when he happened upon Mebuki's grave. Something had made him stop and place one of his flowers down. It felt right to. Then he heard her approaching. Even after two years he recognized the sound of her footfall... and he'd become self-conscious.

He stilled his breathing and looked back, uncovering his sharingan to see better from this distance.

Sakura was standing next to her mother's grave, where he'd been just a moment before. He watched as she bent down to gently place a handful of wildflowers on the stone, studying her as her fingers brushed curiously against the petals of the lily he'd left behind.

He ducked, to no avail, as she stood up and looked around with a confused expression. Without sharingan there was no way she'd be able to see him from this distance.

If he were lucky she'd think the flower was from a family member. He wryly remembered Iruka's words last night about luck never being on his side.

Eventually she sat back down next to Mebuki and began to talk. He placed his hitai-ate back over his eye, not wanting to intrude on such an intimate moment. Even if he couldn't hear her, he could still read her lips.

Kakashi had come to regret that he never checked on her. He'd had plenty of chances. Just one time would have been enough, he would have found out and he could have said something to help. He knew the pain of losing a parent, as well as the pain of handling it alone.

He sat down and and simply waited for her to leave. He hadn't spoken to Obito and Rin yet.

**•~•**

It was almost 6:30 when he strolled up to the gate.

He was surprised to find that the Godaime was there with Sakura.

"Late, per usual." Tsunade greeted him curtly.

Suddenly feeling cheeky when Sakura rolled her eyes at him, he offered up one of his trademark excuses with a slight alternation. "A cherry blossom blocked my path this morning. I had to take the long way around."

Silence permeated the air between them as both women gave him deadpan expressions.

Then suddenly Sakura began to laugh.

He glanced at her curiously.

"Shisou, he looks like Danzo." She chortled, glancing him up and down. "Brown is _not_ your color."

A hint of amusement tugged at the corner of Tsunade's lips before setting back into a firm line.

Kakashi realized that she was right. After he'd left the memorial stone, he'd gone home and began putting his disguise together. Instead of his mask and hitai-ate, he'd bandaged his face, leaving his right eye uncovered, and also his left shoulder to cover his tattoo. He was also wearing the provided attire, a pair of pale blue pants and a brown sweater.

He felt a flash of irritation that he quickly muted. Even if she wasn't his student anymore, he was still one of her superiors. He felt he at least deserved that respect.

 _Two can play at that game_. He thought, looking her over.

It was obvious that the goal was to make them both look as non-threatening as possible. They both looked like average citizens, and Sakura looked more child than woman.

"You look just as I remember you, Sakura-chan." Kakashi said airily with his signature charming smile.

He was surprised to find that he actually had to squash down the desire to flinch as her eyes glittered with rage. Her hands curled into fists and the memory echo of the ground shattering beneath his feet rang in his ears. But after a deep breath, her eyes closed and reopened, blank and emotionless. _That was… disconcerting._

"Alright you two." Tsunade said sharply. She shoved forged ID papers at them, which they both glanced over before storing in their packs. Her golden eyes were flinty and serious. "Kakashi, you have three days to report before we send a recovery team. Sakura, _remember your timeline_. Now go. "

"Hai, shisou."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. He probably wasn't supposed to recognize the hidden message in her orders, but he did anyway. To anyone that would have sounded like a reminder for the time limit inside the trafficker base, but Kakashi had years of experience in dealing with hidden information. Nothing gets past him.

_A dual mission…?_

He shouldered his incredibly useless civilian bag, he'd made do with less in the past, and ran through the gate at a swift pace. They took to the trees as they made it to the forest edge. They had a lot of ground to cover if they wanted to make it to their checkpoint by nightfall.

Kakashi fell comfortably into the speed he always used when traveling with Team 7, the one that would let his students follow only several steps behind him. He was suddenly harboring doubts that they would reach the checkpoint in good time.

At this speed his mind was free to consider his theory of a dual mission. He contemplated what he already knew, fleeting past the facts that weren't relevant, and tried to pin down the reason for why he wouldn't have been told.

_Classified information?_

He regarded that option carefully. He knew this mission should have been passed to ANBU, but it hadn't. For some reason, the Hokage didn't want whatever they learned to become known there. Considering that he _was_ an ANBU member, Kakashi was both amused and annoyed that Tsunade trusted him enough for this mission, but not the hidden one.

 _An off record mission that requires a gifted medic-nin, no matter if they are under qualified._ He huffed quietly, displeased that he couldn't make sense of it.

He glanced back after awhile, his eyes searching for the pink haired girl, only to find Sakura right next him keeping up with him easily.

She was looking right at him. "So," she said, not even the slightest out of breath, "your cover name? I should probably start using it now, to get used to it."

He increased his speed slightly, testing her, and looked back ahead. "Good idea. It's Kenjiro, what about yours?"

"Kitsune." She replied. He thought he heard a smile in her voice. She seemed to be in a better mood now that they were moving.

Over the next few hours he continued increasing his speed in steady increments, each time Sakura adjusting her pace accordingly and matching him. He was mildly unsettled to begin with, when he discovered that she never fell behind him, even after he began moving as if he were leading a squad of Jounin, but eventually he relaxed. He was just glad they were making good time.

By now she had to know what he was assessing her ability but she said nothing about it.

"You're in a good mood, Kenjiro-san." Sakura observed.

He thought about it and found she was right. Behind his bandage mask, his usual passive expression had slipped into a crooked grin, silently enjoying their unspoken challenge.

"It's been awhile since I've run this freely." He admitted, chuckling when he caught the satisfied flush in her cheeks at his words. "And drop the san. Remember, we escaped the war together."

"Hai, hai." She responded dryly before adding, "You must be getting old if _I_ can keep up with you." She was teasing him again, but he sensed more gently than this morning.

Kakashi threw her a mock glare of disapproval. "Is that so? I bet this old man could still show you a thing or two."

"Oh yeah?" She challenged him, her green eyes sparkling with excitement.

He paused, almost missing a step as he stared at her. Like this, she hardly resembled the girl he used to know. Like this, she looked like... well, like a kunoichi.

Her eyes were bright and determined, a thin sheen of sweat glistening on the skin he could see. The casual clothes did very little in this moment to conceal the grace with which she moved. In that same moment a small breeze lifted the flowy top, granting him a peek at her toned abdomen. Her cream colored skin was smooth and unmarked.

Sakura quickly grabbed the shirt and pulled it back down, blushing deeply.

He looked down at his feet to help him regain his steady rhythm. He knew a soft blush was dusting his cheeks as well, and was grateful for the bandages covering his face. Shaking his head at himself, he looked up and smiled at her like nothing had happened.

"Let's see if you can keep up now." He called out.

With that he put everything into his speed. He ran as he did during solo S-rank missions, when he didn't have to check his pace for anyone else. He laughed again as he saw her shocked expression when she fell behind.

He _was_ in a good mood today.

Kakashi held his stride for another hour, casting glances behind himself every now and then to make sure he didn't completely leave her in the dust. He was still impressed to see that she never fell more than twenty meters behind him, but she never did manage to regain her spot at his side until he slowed to a stop.

Sakura looked giddy with adrenaline when she halted at his side, breathing hard and trembling ever so slightly with exertion.

"Had enough?" She joked as she bent over, gasping. Her hands were on her knees as she started to catch her breath.

He snorted in amusement. "Yeah. Right."

He was admittedly panting a bit too, but otherwise he was fine. He pulled out a canister of water and drank some, carefully pulling the folds of his bandages apart. He offered it to her and she accepted it gratefully.

He was pleased. Whatever animosity there had been between them this morning finally seemed to have been abandoned.

He studied the area and further narrowed down their location. They were less than a kilometer from the main road where most of the refugees were disappearing. They'd made amazing time, it was only a little after midday.

"We can walk from here, and I think it would be best if we covered our chakras from here on out." He said quietly, returning to his air of professionalism.

Sakura went still. After a few seconds her chakra disappeared completely.

Kakashi raised his eyebrows at her. That took meticulous control. He reasoned that of his students, she had always been the one with the best chakra control… But even so he couldn't remember anyone else pulling off a full cloak, not even his own sensei.

"What?" She asked. She looked self-conscious.

"Nothing. Let's go."

The pair hopped down from the trees and began making their way towards the road. They'd only been on the road for thirty minutes when he sensed they were being followed.

He waited another thirty minutes, just to be certain, before saying anything. He wanted to be sure they weren't moving in yet. He counted six. While he hadn't caught a single glimpse of them, he could still smell them. Unfortunately with his sharingan hidden Kakashi didn't have as much chakra sense as he wanted from this distance, so he was in the dark on their power levels. He hoped strongly that they didn't have a sensory type among them. He couldn't hide his own chakra as well as Sakura could.

"Kitsune." He said softly. "I think tonight we can skip keeping watch, we've earned the rest."

Kakashi knew she'd understand what he meant. Their stalkers were waiting for nightfall.

"Okay!" She smiled up at him brightly, looking innocently relieved at the prospect of rest.

_Her deception skills have improved too._

**~•~•~•~•~**

It was late sunset when they stopped.

The pair stepped off the road and found a small clearing to set up camp. Sakura made them a small fire before laying out a bedroll, and watched Kakashi do the same before digging in his bag.

She didn't notice when her counterpart tensed and stilled. Sakura was recounting the last few hours. She'd messed up a couple of times today.

Whatever resentment Sakura held for her former sensei had melted away for the time being. She was unable to ignore that she felt comfortable around him in the field, even after a couple years.

He was still the same old Kakashi. Always jumping between work and play.

She probably shouldn't have showed him that she could almost keep up with him when he was _really_ running, but she couldn't help herself. It hadn't taken her long to notice that he'd been toying with her, testing her. Him doing that had her fully giving in to the idea that this was the time to prove herself.

And then she forgot to hold back when masking her chakra. That had been the worse of the two. She tried to tell herself the look on his face had been worth it, but her stomach fluttered nervously at the thought of what Tsunade would do to her if she let another Jounin figure out her ANBU identity.

The last time she'd slipped Iruka-sensei had found out, and Tsunade had sent her on the most frustrating mission she'd ever taken in her life. She glowered at the memory.

She was shaken from her reverie when Kakashi's voice broke the silence, sitting down right next her on her bedroll. His chest pressed into her shoulder.

"Kitsune?" He said, getting her attention.

Internally, Sakura almost lept out of her skin. He'd never gotten this close to her before, and it was much closer than a captain should ever get to his subordinate. Nerves of steel were all that held her in place as his covered lips brushed against the shell of her ear.

He was speaking quickly and low, his lips hardly moving, and Sakura realized he must be doing so because the traffickers were close enough to hear them. She shivered. 

"My papers say I'm married to a Miyoshi Kitsune. I can only assume that's you. It must be Tsunade's attempt to keep them from separating us."

She didn't react to him any more than smiling coyly, as if he'd said something sweet instead of incredibly mortifying, and reached slowly for her bag.

Without pulling it out she read the forged papers more closely than she did this morning. She ground her teeth as she read the line that marked her as married to a Takahashi Kenjiro.

 _Unbelievable_.

She was going to give her shisou hell when she got back.

His fingers gently brushed her hair from her face. She saw that while his face had become gentle, his one onyx eye had gone studiously blank. She couldn't blame him. This must be just as uncomfortable for him as it was for her.

Sakura was a kunoichi. This was not a new part for her to play, nor was she a stranger to relationships, both physical and otherwise. Seduction was part of her training. But there was something intensely different about being this close to Kakashi that no amount of training could have prepared her for. How could anyone be so familiar yet so foreign?

Armoring herself with soft eyes and a soft smile, she relaxed against his body and leaned into his hand. It felt warm and familiar against her face.

"I heard about your mother. I… I'm sorry." He said, catching her completely off guard.

Her eyes widened as she felt pain cut deep into her chest. Of all the times, of all the ways she expected to have this conversation, here and now was not one of them.

The only thing that kept her sane then was the mission. That this conversation would sound exactly as painful and sorrowful as one would if they'd escaped a battleground.

The empty look in his eye had been replaced with one of pain and apology and Sakura found herself unable to look away.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there. I should have been." The pain in his eye didn't compare to the pain she heard in his voice. It echoed with shame and regret.

Her eyes watered.

He'd put to words the hurt she held against every member of Team 7. None of them had been there for her. They'd all left her alone.

Sakura immediately reached for comfort, her hands scrabbling for her bag again and she pulled out one of the pictures of her mom. Smiling in front of her shop, with toddler Sakura tugging at the folds of her skirt.

She wasnt ready for Kakashi when he ripped it from her hands and threw it into the fire. She stared, frozen, as the flames licked it from existence.

"Ka-" She began to angrily shout his name.

His body crashed into hers, forcing her shoulders to the bedroll beneath her as he pressed his bandaged lips against her bare ones, effectively silencing her.

It lasted for all of a second, but to her it felt like an eternity before he pulled away. Sakura was beneath him now, cheeks red, trembling at his proximity. His hands were planted on the ground at each side of her face. His eye was bright with a protective gleam and he actually growled his next words.

"I won't let that memory hurt you anymore!"

She tried desperately to make sense of what just happened, of what he said, and her face paled as the answer presented itself.

She remembered that the Hokage Rock had been visible in the background of that photo.

She cursed herself for her carelessness. She was so stupid! She had almost blown their cover and Kakashi had fixed it.

Sakura might have been impressed if she didn't feel as vulnerable as she did. She didn't have any time to think about it further when two sets of hands ripped her from where she lay.

**~•~•~•~•~**

He snarled as a first collided with his face, hardly registering the pain. He barely allowed the two men holding him to force his body to the ground. Their knees dug into his back and they ground the 'injured' side of his face into the dirt. He forced a false grunt of pain past his lips.

This was a first for him. Somehow he never imagined just how much he would hate allowing himself to be captured, to have all the control, yet none of it. His hands were literally tied and nothing could have conditioned him against this feeling. And it was all the worse with Sakura there.

His body shook as he struggled to contain his anger. Kakashi could only pray they mistook it for fear. He was still reeling from what he'd just done. He'd just kissed an underage subordinate. A girl he'd known since she was a child, while she was right in the middle of a moment of grief that _he'd caused_. He felt a surge of self-loathing like he'd never felt before as her face flashed before his eyes.

He _knew_ it had been the right thing to do. He _knew_ it was justified. He'd heard their footsteps creeping towards the camp and knew he had less than seconds to stop her. If he'd been right, and he knew he was, these men would have recognized his name immediately.

None of his reasoning did anything to soothe him. 

He should have waited. Waited and talked to her about it after this god forsaken mission like a normal person. If he had, he never would have kissed her and she would never would have looked at him like that. So why hadn't he waited? As he was that close to her, close enough to taste her breath, he'd felt the overpowering urge to bare his feelings and immediately did so without a second thought. There must be something wrong with him.

His anger deepened into rage as he saw the two men holding Sakura roughly slam her back against a nearby tree.

"Kenji-!"

Her cry was drowned out by a chorus of callous laughter.

Kakashi knew the image of her face contorted with fear and pain, no matter how fake, would be seared into his memory for a long time.

"Sorry for interrupting such a tender moment." Drawled one of the two men that wasn't holding them. His swaggering step alerted Kakashi that he was the leader of this squad. He saw the man's hitai-ate for the Hidden Mist, scarred with a horizontal line.

Rogue shinobi.

A quick glance told him that the other three men he could see were also from the Mist.

"Check their shit! They might have something useful." The order rang throughout the camp.

One of the men holding Sakura let her go and dumped her bag on the ground. He couldn't see from his position on the ground but he could hear someone doing the same to his own.

He knew there was nothing incriminating in his bag. He had a four shuriken concealed within the flat of his sandals that he doubted they'd find.

"Holy shit." Came a grunt of surprise from one of the lackeys. "The girl's married."

"This little thing? No way in hell, lemme see." The one holding Sakura called out.

"See for yourself." He held the papers up to the other guy's face.

A quick glance confirmed it for him. His hands dropped from the Sakura's arms to her waist. "Well I'll be damned, Baby Doll. You're a little young for that aren't you?" He leered.

"Get your fucking hands off of her!" Kakashi practically spat. He'd forgotten his shuriken. He would tear them apart with his bare hands.

The man turned his head to sneer at him. "Get em' while they're young, am I right? Good on you."

Kakashi saw the intent in her eyes before she did it.

"Kitsune, don't!" He shouted. He didn't have to fake any of the desperation in voice.

He watched in equal satisfaction and horror as Sakura lashed out at him savagely. Her nails raked deep lines into the man's cheek. Droplets of red slid down his cheek and carried on down his neck.

"You little bitch!" The man swore.

There was a sickening thud as his fist connected with her face and her head connected with the tree.

Kakashi froze as her body slumped to the ground.

"Damn it, Nao! We get paid less when they're hurt."

"They're already covered in bandages, just say we found em' this way."

His mind scrambled and reset. He'd just decided that he was done with this when something solid collided with the back of his head.

All he saw was white before the world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always willing to hear thoughts, praises, critiques, etc!  
> I was actually super nervous as I wrote this chapter. I'd love to hear what you all think!


	3. A Stroke of Misfortune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost 500 hits in 5 days? :o That makes me so happy, thank you!!!  
> Edit: I'm thinking about opening myself up for one-shot requests, for practice. Would you guys be interested? I'd take any Naruto ships honestly.  
> \----------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura woke just as she was being loaded into a wooden cart. She was groggy and the first thing she registered was that her face _hurt_. She moved to bring her hands up to check the damage but found them bound behind her back.

Her situation came crashing back and she fought back the glare she wanted to throw at the man who was handling her.

She caught a glimpse of the sky before the canvas fell shut behind them. Sakura determined that she'd been out an hour at least, maybe two. There were stars dotting across the sky, their twinkling diminished compared to the half moon's light.

He dropped her unceremoniously and crouched over her. A single candle lit up the small space.

She shuddered at what she last remembered. The feeling of this sleazebag's hands gripping her waist, fingers digging into her sides, and the predatory look in his eyes. Then her nails on his skin, his fist colliding with her cheek, and the slow pull of black as she slipped into unconsciousness.

She slipped on a practiced mask of fear and sat up, letting her lower lip tremble as she asked pitifully, "What's happening? Kenji, where are we?"

She turned her head and let out a gasp as she located Kakashi. Like her his hands were bound, but he was slumped on his side with his back to her giving her a clear view of the back of his head. It was bleeding, dripping from his bandages to the floor beneath him, staining his silver hair. The dancing flame of the candle cast horrible shadows on the sight.

Kakashi hadn't moved beyond the rise and fall of his chest when she'd called his name so Sakura could safely say he was unconscious.

Sakura had to forcibly remind herself that head wounds bleed the worst and usually looked more serious than they were. He was breathing evenly and that was a good sign. Kakashi had survived much worse before.

"What did you do!" She did let some anger tint her face as she beheld her captor. She took in what she could but didn't put much effort to it. This one wouldn't be a problem soon enough.

He had a stocky build and brown hair, and in this light his eyes appeared to be black. Despite his disfigured hitai-ate, he was still in Hidden Mist uniform. She recognized the black pants and blue jacket from former dealings in Mizu. He had a small sword at his hip, but she spied four more weapons hidden in his clothes.

"Don't worry Baby Doll. Hubby's fine, for now. We didn't think he'd take nicely to me roughing up your cute little face, so we suggested he take a nap."

She forced herself not to shiver at the sound of his voice. It was dripping with twisted amusement.

He shoved her against Kakashi and she winced, not wanting to jostle him until she could examine the injury.

Suddenly there was a kunai pressed under her chin. The blade pricked at her skin and she held her breath.

"Now," he purred dangerously. His chest pressed into hers, forcing her further into Kakashi as she instinctively tried to back away from him. "Behave until we get where we're going. The boss likes feisty ones like you. You'll want to save your energy."

Disgust pooled in her chest and she reminded herself again that she'd already gotten her revenge. She just had to be patient.

Sakura slumped and dropped her gaze to appear compliant and nervous. She said nothing.

"Good choice girly."

He checked both their bindings one last time and blew out the candle, dropping them into semi-darkness. She felt more than saw as he backed away and left the cart, it heaving as he relieved it of his weight, and he fastened the cart cover behind him. Now it was pitch black.

She waited a few moments until the cart started moving. The sound of hoofbeats on a dirt road were loud enough to hide any sounds she'd make. She didn't wait for her eyes to adjust. Sakura scooted forward a little and maneuvered herself so she could place her hands gently on Kakashi's head. She turned her head sharply to see behind herself and risked the smallest amount of chakra she dared to use in order to explore the injury. The familiar green light that flickered over her fingertips was hardly visible with how little chakra she was using. She was certain in daylight it would have been invisible. It provided just enough light for her to see where she was placing her fingers.

She heaved a sigh of relief when she found that it was just a shallow wound, caused by blunt force trauma. Based on the shape of the wound her guess was a pipe or sword hilt. Slowly and carefully, she expedited the healing process, coaxing the natural coagulants to the surface. She didn't fully heal the wound, instead just making sure the bleeding stopped.

Moving was a little awkward with her hands tied behind her back. She knew she could easily break the ropes restricting her but had to avoid doing anything that would make their captors suspicious. She was grateful that the overconfident bastards had left her feet untied, so in time she was able to lean against the wall and guide Kakashi's head and shoulders into her lap, utilizing her smaller frame to slide her legs underneath him. She ignored the embarrassment of such an intimate position. She needed to be able to see his eyes -his eye- when he woke up. She hadn't sensed any long term damage, but he could still have a mild concussion.

While Sakura waited for him to regain consciousness she studied the small space they were in. Her eyes had adjusted enough to make out shapes. It obviously wasn't meant for people as cargo. One more person could fit inside comfortably but any more would make it horribly cramped. The ceiling was roughly three feet high, so she could sit without fear of hitting her head, but standing would be uncomfortable.

She saw nothing of use.

There were a pile of what looked like bedrolls bundled into the corner along with a small assortment of food crates. She knew she wouldn't find any weapons and she didn't need them anyways. Her fists were the only weapons she truly needed.

Time passed slowly. She spent it straining her ears, hoping to gain an idea of where they were or anything the rogue shinobi were stupid enough to say out loud. She wasn't successful. Every now and then she heard the muffled bark of orders being given, but other than that it was silent save for hoofbeats and the constant creaking of turning wheels.

**•~•**

By her estimate about two hours had passed before a soft groan alerted her that Kakashi was waking up. As his eye fluttered open Sakura risked another sliver of chakra.

She tried something. It was a little different than using her hands. She let the energy manifest on her wounded cheek, soothing the muscles underneath, to shed the gentle green light. It took a second but she managed to direct the energy into fluctuating slightly, causing the light to brighten and dim at short intervals.

"Look at me." She whispered, shifting under him to encourage him to turn towards her more.

He complied, twisting so his chest faced the ceiling, and looked at her. She dampened the peculiar urge to laugh at his dazed expression.

She watched, satisfied, as his pupil dilated and contracted accordingly, and released the chakra flow. She was certain he was sore but he didn't seem to have any lasting damage. By now she was pretty sure there was no sensory type among the rogue-nins, but she shouldn't risk the light shining through the canvas anymore.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, still using a hushed tone.

Kakashi sat up quicker than she liked and jumped silently to his feet. She hissed in shock and warning, surprised that he hadn't hit his head in such a small space. He ignored her and began looking her over closely. He was crouching in front of her and to Sakura it looked like he didn't seem to mind, or notice, that his hands were cuffed. His face brushed against hers ever so slightly as he tried to counteract the darkness they sat in.

"Are you okay?" He whispered fiercely.

She stared at him. He was so close that when Sakura opened her mouth to respond she accidentally inhaled his scent. He smelled like pinewood but it was marred by the iron-esque aroma of blood. The combination made her brain stutter.

When she didn't answer he grew ominously still.

"What did they do?"

It hardly sounded like a question with his voice so dangerously low and calm like that. Murderous intent saturated each word.

Her brain unfroze as she put two and two together. "N-nothing. I'm fine." Sakura stammered.

Kakashi seemed to realize he was a little too close because he pulled his head back abruptly. But then he settled next to her and his shoulder rested heavily against hers.

"You're certain?" He asked in an odd voice.

Sakura shifted, suddenly unsure. Her clothes were intact when she woke so she hadn't even thought to check. Assured from the last couple times, she pressed her hands to her back and without hesitating released the chakra she'd need to examine her insides. She found nothing.

"I'm sure." She said firmly.

She felt the tension leave Kakashi in one fluid motion. His body sagged against the wall. "Thank goodness." He murmured, resting his head back.

Sakura didn't know what to say. Of course she expected him to care, but this was more emotion than she'd ever seen him display. She'd never seen him so… unfiltered.

Details from the camp clearing were starting to come back to her now as she was finally able to relax some. She hadn't realized how strained she'd been the whole while Kakashi was out.

Images and sensations flickered strangely and she forced her mind to focus. She needed to remember everything she could.

_Kakashi's jawline, tense and controlled, as he was pinned to the forest floor._

_The jagged edges of tree bark digging into the back of her arms as she was held against a tree._

_Cruel fingers digging into her sides._

_Kakashi's face transforming into one of unrestrained rage and frustration, his obsidian eye dark and feral_.

Sakura blinked. She never knew he was capable of such an expression.

Suddenly the memory was replaced with the feeling of his lips on hers, firm and unyielding. His mouth had been covered, of course, but she could remember their shape and how they felt slightly larger than her own. Even through the barrier they'd been warm.

She was thankful for the gloom inside the cart then. She felt heat flood her cheeks and was glad that Kakashi couldn't see her face. She was embarrassed that she'd made such a foolish mistake, one that required such a crude solution.

"So how long was I out?" He asked her, sounding exhausted.

His weight had become comforting and she noticed that she was rapidly becoming cold. It was the middle of the night and the canvas cover was doing a poor job of blocking the cool night breeze blowing in through the entrance. Her clothes weren't as accommodating for colder weather as his.

She'd had a sweater in her bag but it had been taken. With little option, she swallowed a tremor and allowed herself to press into him gently, curious to see if he'd allow it.

**~•~•~•~•~**

"Between three and four hours, from what I can tell."

He stiffened as she leaned into him. Kakashi was torn between fascination and discomfort as he felt her breasts nestled against his side. He instantly slapped aside the thought that they were bigger than he originally believed.

_She has to know she's crossing a line…_

"Ah, okay…" He tried to respond lightly but he was gripped with apprehension.

 _Does she though?_ He suddenly wondered.

He was the one who had crossed the line of acceptable professional conduct first. And even just a moment ago he'd stayed closer to her than was appropriate, simply relieved that she was okay, and trying to erase the pervasive touch he'd witnessed with contact of his own. As Kakashi processed that, an alarming notion raced to the forefront of his mind.

 _Did she misunderstood me earlier? She must think I made a move on her back there._ He gulped as the image of Tsunade's fist punching through his chest took hold of him. With the Godaime's temper it was as probable a consequence as any for screwing around with her apprentice. Then the devilish corner of his mind crooned at him happily.

_You're missing the point. She accepted you too._

He flinched as those words invaded, appalled by his own mind. He was just about to shrug her off when he was distracted by a noise. It took him a beat to place it. Sakura's teeth were chattering.

His mind quieted in relief. She was just cold, nothing more. He became unsettled once more as the same corner of his mind unleashed whispers of disappointment.

_This mission is shortening my life span._

He forced himself to relax, chiding himself for jumping to conclusions. Sakura _was_ really close, but now that he understood Kakashi could feel that she was trying not to be a hindrance, simultaneously trying to be near him without letting him bear the brunt of her weight.

"Come here," he sighed, almost as if he were talking to Pakkun and Bull when they wanted to sleep in his bed, "I can feel you shivering."

Sakura softened against him, snuggling closer as she tried to control her shivering. Despite it all, he caught himself smiling. Eventually he heard a puff of relief and soft "thank you" before her body grew still.

He actively ignored that he found the position comforting and let his mind wander to the mission instead. He'd been out for four hours. If they arrived wherever they were going by morning that would give them two days to find out what they needed to know and report back. Where the base was, who was running it, and what weaknesses they could exploit.

 _We better be there by morning._ He thought with irritation. He'd come to trust that at least one thing always went sideways on his missions, and ironically more times than not it was the ability to stick to the timetable. Also, his hands were sore.

He began running through possible scenarios. They were split up, they were compromised, they were outclassed, they weren't able to get out, they didn't get the information they needed. Thinking things like this always put him in a grim mood but in the long run it was worth it when it reminded him to always be prepared.

"Did you mean it?" Sakura asked softly.

His heart skipped a beat. He thought she'd drifted off to sleep. "Mean what?" Kakashi asked evasively, shaking off his dark musings.

"That you were sorry."

Kakashi sat quietly before answering. He was sorry and he needed to make sure Sakura knew he meant it if she doubted his words enough to ask. He'd been wrong to bring up her mother in the field and he couldn't blame her that it was still on her mind. He'd be the same way if their roles were reversed.

"Yes," he murmured softly, "I was wrong to stay away as long as I did."

She was silent for a few minutes. He half heartedly hoped that she was satisfied with his answer, but he knew Sakura better than that.

"Why?" She finally asked.

 _Why? Why did I stay away or why am I sorry?_ He answered the easier one.

"Because you shouldn't have had to go through that by yourself." Kakashi answered, sounding responsibly contrite.

He heard her huff in annoyance. She knew he was dodging.

"Tell you what," Kakashi offered casually, "I'll tell you after we get back." He felt her head turn sharply and knew he had her attention.

 _Good_. He needed time to formulate a suitable response.

"Why should I have to wait?" Sakura asked. Her voice was brimming with disappointment, but he caught a whiff of mischief hidden in between the lines.

He fought the uphill battle of an impending grin. Intentionally or not, Sakura had just played right into his jaded sense of humor. They were practically sitting in a box, in the dark, surrounded by enemies, and she was _actually_ trying to guilt trip him right now. She was much more devil-may-care than he remembered. It heartened him to learn she wasn't the same pushover who had been his student, but he was more impressed by the fact that she was confident enough to be so… audacious, especially towards him.

Something must have given him away that he was onto her because she didn't wait for him to answer.

"What do I get for waiting?" She asked cheekily.

He chuckled. He gave it some thought, feeling generous. He was glad she was in a better mood, and grateful that she'd put him in a better mood too.

"Two questions." He decided.

"Two questions?" Sakura echoed curiously.

He hummed in confirmation. "Mmhm. When we get back, you can ask me two questions that I will answer honestly."

Sakura sat straight up in surprise and he would have given anything to see the look on her face. She recovered quickly, settling back on his chest.

"Why not three? Two is a weird number." She whispered smugly. He could tell she was trying to see just how much she could get out of him.

"I'll give you a third…" Kakashi trailed off, quickly searching to turn the tables, "If you let me ask one question."

She hesitated and he leapt at the chance to tease her in return.

"What?" He smirked, nudging his shoulder into her gently. "I think three for one is more than a fair trade."

"Deal." She agreed competitively, her voice raising a little.

She still rose to a challenge when provoked. Kakashi smiled.

They both tensed as something, probably a fist, slammed against the side of the wagon just behind their heads.

"Shut the hell up in there!"

He ignored them, but he heard the pink haired girl mutter an angry curse.

The mood had darkened again. He exhaled slowly. "Okay. Get some sleep. We'll need the rest."

Kakashi said 'we' as if he actually intended to sleep, but he didn't dare. He merely listened to the sound of Sakura's breathing as the night dragged on.

He measured the time going by using the light that began slowly filtering through the fabric that covered the entrance. He guesstimated that it was roughly six in the morning when the cart lurched to a stop.

**~•~•~•~•~**

" _Sakura!"_

_"It's ok, Okaasan." Sakura called desperately. "I'm here, it's going to be ok."_

_Mebuki lay on the ground. There was a pool of blood on the ground around her, pouring from the gaping hole in her stomach. Crows and carrion birds circled overhead. Watching. Waiting._

_Sakura ran over on leaden legs and began to heal her._

_Her mother's hand gripped her arm and stopped her. "No, my dear. Stop."_

_"What do you mean?" Sakura cried out. "Kaachan, I can help you!"_

_"No child. You can't."_

_The skin and flesh melted gruesomely from her figure leaving behind a skeleton. It dripped with blood and gore, leaving her gagging as she fought to escape the crushing grip it had on her arm._

_It pulled her close. It's jaw opened and her mother's voice came out, haunting and distorted yet still hers. "You weren't here. You can't help me now."_

_The crows dived down, pecking and clawing at the both of them. They buffeted Sakura with a mocking and violent chorus of screeches._

_"You weren't there!"_

_"You weren't there!"_

_"You weren't there!"_

_"Wake up, Kitsune. We're here."_

Kakashi's voice sent the birds scattering to the trees.

Sakura woke, alert, blinking rapidly against bright sunlight.

The canvas had been pulled open, and one of the rogue-nin was crouched at the entrance. It wasn't the one who threatened her last night. This one was blonde and he didn't attempt to speak with either of them.

He grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her towards the front where the sleazebag was waiting. Blondie threw her into Sleazebag, who stumbled and fell under her weight. They both hit the ground, Sakura wincing as the rope bit further into her wrists. He cursed irritatedly, sounding disoriented.

She smirked inwardly. It was almost time.

"Nao, knock it off. Take her inside."

She heard Kakashi's feet hit the ground behind her and looked up. He was glaring at each of them in turn, a poor comparison to the rage she'd seen yesterday. If she didn't know that he was bluffing, she would have believed his expression of frustrated defeat.

As she was hauled to her feet she looked around. They were in a large clearing surrounded by sparse woodland. A couple tiny shacks dotted the clearing but they were right outside the door to a bigger building. It was a single story and very minimalistic from the outside, reminiscent of an ANBU bunker.

In the far distance she could see a mountain range that she recognized. Sakura heard the sound of running water from somewhere in the trees behind her and realized that she knew almost exactly where they were. They were in the lower right quadrant of the Natsu Province, somewhere alongside the Kagami River.

_Shit..._

Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. They had to hurry.

She calculated that they had until midday to get this done, or Kakashi would have to run through the night if he wanted to make it back to Konoha before a TR squad was sent out. The Inuzuka clan were the best trackers in the Leaf, thanks to their ninken, so they usually made up the recovery squads. Sakura grimaced, honestly not wanting to deal with them any time soon.

They were led inside by four of the missing-nin while the other two remained outside. Inside was almost as minimalistic as the outside. There were a few armchairs around a fireplace, and Sakura noted that there was only one person waiting for them inside.

He stood up as they came in. "You're early. Boss will be back in an hour, he had to meet up with _that guy_ again."

She noted three doorways and was making notes on the layout when the hand gripping her arm went slack. _Here we go..._

Nao fell to the ground and started gasping desperately. The left side of his face was expressionless and dull but the right side was distorted by fear and pain. Unable to form any words, he gibbered frantically.

Sakura jumped towards Kakashi as if scared. Their captors were so shocked that they made no move to stop her.

Then they all crowded around Nao trying to figure out what was wrong. It became quickly apparent that none of them knew any medical ninjutsu. He would be dead in minutes.

She took a deep breath and cast Kakashi a regretful glance. She wasn't looking forward to this, but she had orders.

While they were distracted Sakura hissed quietly. "When they separate us, wait fifteen minutes and send me Pakkun and Ūhei."

The look in his eyes made her flinch. It was a mix of 'what are you planning' and 'don't you dare'. She mouthed for him to stay put.

She prayed that he trusted her enough to listen, and hoped the apology in her eyes was enough as she turned and raced through the door they'd come in.

There was a shout of surprise as she shouldered the door open and sprinted outside. She didn't use any real speed, so they caught her instantly. One took her to the ground in a tackle. Between his weight and the angle her bindings snapped. She couldn't help the cry of pain mingled with relief. That rope had been rubbing her skin raw for hours. The other kicked her in the ribs roughly. She lost all the air in her lungs for a moment and snarled weakly. She struggled against them viciously, scratching and biting at what she could reach, and after receiving a few hits in return she went limp but spat a constant string of curses towards them.

"For fuck's sake, what the hell is wrong with this one!" The one pinning her to the ground shouted.

Through watering eyes she saw that it was Blondie who'd been kicking her. He sent his boot flying into her side one more time and this time Sakura failed to hold back a real scream. One of her ribs had definitely cracked.

"There. That'll keep her for awhile. Throw her with that other girl. Kisame's gonna want this one, you know how he is." Blondie said, almost sounding bored.

Sakura's blood went cold. Anyone who'd ever opened a bingo book would recognize that name. Hoshigaki Kisame, a rogue-nin from the Hidden Mist. One of the former Seven Ninja Swordsman, and a high ranking member of the Akatsuki.

All those things were enough to strike her with fear but two chief factors lead the charge: Hoshigaki Kisame knew who Kakashi was, and could possibly recognize her by association... And where Kisame went, Uchiha Itachi was never far behind.

This was officially an S-rank mission.

They dragged her back inside just as Kakashi was being shoved through one of three doorways she'd seen. They made eye contact for a split second before he was pushed from sight.

She could honestly say that betrayal wasn't the expression she'd been expecting. He wore a puppy-eyed look of sadness. She'd expected anger, maybe confusion, but not this.

She looked down, only feeling mildly guilty. She'd insisted with Tsunade that they let Kakashi in on the mission but she'd been shut down without so much as an explanation. It was out of her hands.

She was marched to the door on the opposite wall and pushed inside. There were no windows, only a large bed and a small lantern. On the far side of the room was another woman.

Sakura's chest tightened. It was her.

She was slumped against the wall and Sakura could see that her hands were chained to the wall as well. She didn't react as they came in, not even looking up. Next to her was another set of chains.

They cuffed Sakura next to the woman and left, slamming the door behind them. As soon as the door closed, Sakura tried ripping the cuffs from the wall, and groaned in resignation when she found that they were chakra cuffs. This room was designed for restraining ninja.

She slipped the bandage from around her neck and folded it, placing it between her teeth. Then Sakura took a deep breath in preparation and forcibly dislocated her thumbs, pushing the joint inward, one after the other. She bit down, doing what she could to groan quietly, and shakily slipped her hands from the cuffs. She left the makeshift bit in her mouth as she reset them, not trusting herself to be silent without it.

She spent five of her fifteen minutes healing her thumbs and ribs before continuing.

"Matsuri." She whispers, gently shaking her shoulders as she crouched in front of her. This was only half of her mission, locating the target.

Tsunade had received notice from the Kazekage that one of his personal spies had gone missing with critical information that could peacefully end the war between the Sand and Rain. Gaara had reason to suspect his own council, who were advocating for the war to continue, therefore unable to trust them to send a team to locate her. He instead turned to the Leaf for assistance.

Matsuri had last been sighted in the Nikko Province, putting her in Leaf territory. Gaara requested the utmost confidentiality until he had her in protective custody, fearing she might be intercepted and killed.

Tenzou's team had been assigned to the search, and it was Tenzou-taichou who theorized that she might be involved with the missing refugees since she'd been undercover in the Hidden Rain. Sakura knew that this probably would have gone to Kakashi, he had the better tracking skills, but he was away on his own mission at the time that didn't have a set return date. He'd returned the day before Tsunade had put together this mission, and for whatever reason her shisou decided to send him with Sakura instead of her team.

So here Sakura was, making sure she got thrown in the "Boss's" quarters, to look for any indication that Matsuri of the Sand was or had been among them.

And she was. Now that she'd found her it was Sakura's responsibility to get her out and take her to one of their hidden ANBU field outposts to make sure Matsuri wasn't compromised before returning her to the Kazekage.

The woman had chin length brown hair that was dirty and matted. Based on her appearance alone it looked like she'd been here at least a week. As she woke, she jerked away from Sakura's touch aggressively. The woman was disoriented when she looked up but she seemed to recognize Sakura and relaxed slightly.

"Haruno?" She said wonderingly. Then her eyes darkened and she growled. "Is this another trick shark boy? I'm not falling for it!"

Sakura quickly thought of something to say that would convince the woman that she wasn't under a genjutsu. "Gaara's blood type is AB, and he has a crescent shaped scar on his left pectoral."

The last time Sakura had been in Suna, Gaara had been poisoned and under medical supervision. She'd been called in for help and Matsuri had refused to leave his side. They'd both seen him undressed.

Matsuri's eyes widened. "Haruno!" She whispered nervously. Her eyes flicked to the door and back. "You shouldn't be here, you need to leave before Kisame gets back."

"Shh, it's okay." Sakura hushed, ignoring the painful twinge she got from hearing her former name. "Gaara sent me, he suspected you were intercepted. We're getting you out of here."

The pink haired girl began undoing the bandages on her left shoulder, just enough to access her seal. She pulled out the pouch of food pills and gave Matsuri one, who ate it gratefully. She looked like she'd barely eaten since she was taken.

"Did Kisame get anything from you?" Sakura asked hesitantly.

The brown haired woman shuddered and crossed her legs protectively. "Just my pride." She murmured, the pain in her voice betraying the trauma she'd gone through.

Sakura nodded hollowly. This was unfortunately a common occurrence for kunoichi prisoners under enemy interrogation. She'd been lucky to never have experienced the same.

"He's looking for anything he can get on the war's progress and both sides' resources. Somehow he knew I worked directly under the Kazekage, so he tried, but I would never betray Lord Gaara."

Sakura would still have to check her but that was good enough for her right now. She checked for injuries, finding lacerations all across Matsuri's stomach and upper thighs. Her scowl deepened as she found her shoulder, which had been broken and began setting wrong.

"I can't fix this here. I'll have to reset it when we're in a safe location."

Matsuri blinked. "How exactly are we getting out of here?"

"I'm going to cause a scene." Sakura gave her a grim smile.

The look the brown haired woman gave her held question and concern.

As if in response two ninken appeared right beside them in a telltale puff of smoke.

" _Kenjiro_ wants to know, and I quote, 'if you've lost your fucking mind.'" Pakkun deadpanned.

"Tell him maybe." Sakura snarked, not in the mood. She pushed the food pill pouch over to the pug. "Please give this to him, Pakkun, he knows what to do with it. Tell him plans have changed and that we need to retreat, but be clear with him that we still need to make our reports. Hoshigaki Kisame is running this thing."

Pakkun eyed her. "And what do I tell him when he asks what your plans are?"

Sakura sighed. "Right now nothing. When he argues, tell him I'll wait for him six kilometers to the north. He'll be able to find me, and I'll give him what answers I can."

The pug grabbed the pouch between his teeth delicately and disappeared in a small cloud of smoke.

"What am I here for?" Ūhei yapped impatiently.

Sakura shushed him and pulled out her medical pouch. "I need you to help carry Matsuri out of here. There's a small village to the southeast, about an hour's run from here. Hide her a small ways outside of it."

Matsuri had been listening silently until that point. "Hey, I can still run you know."

Sakura glanced at her, gingerly pulling out a senbon from a metal case and quickly stuck it in the vein in the crook of Matsuri's elbow. Her eyelids drooped almost immediately.

"Wha-"

She fell asleep. Sakura used the senbon to pick the locks on her cuffs, a neat trick that Shizune taught her awhile back. Then she helped secure Matsuri to the greyhound's back.

"On my signal, Ūhei, and make sure no one sees you."


	4. The Value of Secrecy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is slightly shorter than the others, but I decided that I definitely wanted to start next chapter with Sakura's POV while she was away, so here it is.
> 
> Poor Kakashi. No breaks for the righteous >•<
> 
> Special thanks to **michaelamimi**  
>  and **jennity** for the writing energy! Brought me smiles all day as I sat busting this one out.  
> \-----------------------------------------------------------------

What do you mean she didn't tell you?" Kakashi whispered aggressively.

If a pug could shrug that's what Pakkun did.

"She had some girl with her. No headband that I saw, but she was in chakra cuffs and she smelled awful. She had many wounds that weren't tended to properly."

The silver haired shinobi was seething now. He was in some kind of basement. It was damp and dirty. As soon as the door had closed behind him he'd released his chakra and snapped the annoying cuffs, and tossed them aside. It was dark down here, but not as dark as it had been in the wagon. He had been able to see about twenty refugees all bearing signs of malnutrition. None of them seemed to be critically injured but most of them appeared to have experienced rough treatment.

A few minutes ago he'd been offended and morose, because he'd been right but wrong. There was a dual mission, but it hadn't begun after they separated. It was before. He was upset that Sakura hadn't shared anything with him, had endangered herself right in front of him. It was only out of respect for her that he had stayed put and he almost hadn't when she'd screamed.

His self control only went so far.

But now, upon the return of his summon who told him Sakura _still_ wouldn't tell him what was going on, he was angry. Angry at both Sakura and Tsunade. Both women had kept him in the dark on what he classified as necessary intel. Sakura had obviously been sent on some kind of retrieval mission, but why hadn't he been informed? It's not as if he could hinder the mission by knowing. He was one of the most distinguished shinobi in Konoha. Had he not earned the privilege of utmost trust, through the blood, sweat, and tears of his service?

Sakura said she'd meet him to the north. He would get his answers then whether she liked it or not.

He pursed his lips, zipping from person to person, and began administering the food pills. He was grateful that most hardly seemed to notice him, but his heart ached as a couple women flinched away from him, their eyes filled with panic.

He murmured encouragingly to them, making sure his eyes were gentle and reassuring, to coax them into taking the pills. These would give them all the strength and energy they'd need to hold out for the couple days it would take their assault teams to reach this place.

The reactions from these women brought forth the memory from the night before to his mind again. That Nao, who'd gotten too close to Sakura. He felt a dark satisfaction in knowing that man was dead, laying on the floor upstairs. He'd stopped breathing right before Sakura was brought back inside. To him it had looked like a stroke, but Kakashi had a strong suspicion that his teammate had a hand in it. Either way, Kakashi would have killed the man himself at the first opportunity.

"Where's Ūhei?" Kakashi asked Pakkun. The dog had been shadowing him, sniffing each refugee.

The pug sniffed the air. "Still right above us for now. My guess is that he'll be carrying the girl."

Kakashi stood up and backed into an unoccupied corner. He undid the bandages from his face and slipped on his usual mask. If Kisame really was here, a simple disguise like that wouldn't work so he might as well be comfortable. He'd hidden the extra within his bandages, so it was covered in dried blood but he didn't mind. His own blood hadn't bothered him in decades.

He felt much more at ease now. Without his headband his sharingan was open and he could see the enemy's chakra signatures through the ceiling. There were five, besides Sakura's minutely cloaked one. The one nearest hers was very weak and he assumed that was the girl Pakkun mentioned.

Judging from the remaining respective chakra signatures, Kakashi deduced there were three chunin and one jounin, not including the two unknowns outside. He could tell right away that Kisame wasn't here at the moment, but that could change at any time. He hoped they'd be gone before he returned, not wanting to fight blue-skinned swordsman if he didn't have to.

They weren't a good match up. Kakashi just didn't have the chakra reserves for a prolonged fight with that man.

Sakura was right, with just the two of them retreat was the best option. They would come back with reinforcements.

His eyes widened as Sakura's chakra flared. Her unmasked chakra was impressive. Not that it could compare to Uzumaki or a Kyuubi, but much improved from two years ago. His eyes narrowed as he appraised it, considering something.

Before he could take that thought any further, a deafening crash sounded above. He had to move.

"Go assist Ūhei!" Kakashi ordered, and Pakkun obediently disappeared.

He sprinted up the stairs to the door and didn't hesitate to put his fist through it. It splintered and broke, and he ran through into the next room.

He stepped into the room and his breath caught as he took in the whole room with a single glance. Two of the missing-nin already lay on the floor alongside Nao, their skulls crushed. The other two had come inside and were dueling Sakura desperately. One more stood to the side, searching for an opening in her defenses. Through an open door he could see a whole wall was down, the woods visible in its absence.

He watched Sakura fight. She'd procured weapons somewhere, wielding two kunai in her fists. He stared as she danced between them, her body moving with incredible grace as she avoided them with apparent ease. She retaliated with strikes of her own. A punch feinted into a slash, losing her kunai in the enemy's throat. He went down with a strangled gurgle.

Her emerald eyes flashed to him as he watched, and she smiled at him sweetly as she flash stepped behind her next opponent and snapped his neck with practiced hands. Two left. Then her eyes hardened and she threw her remaining kunai to his right. He heard the familiar swish of movement as someone dodged her attack, right behind him.

He growled and shook his head. He shouldn't be so distracted. He turned and recognized the jounin chakra signature. Lightning sparked at Kakashi's fingertips as he prepared raikiri. They needed to be out of this quickly so there was no point holding back.

The enemy jounin was able to evade him for 58 seconds before ultimately dying to his hands, Kakashi's raikiri punching a hole through his chest.

He heaved the dead jounin over his shoulder. If anyone's corpse in this group held any secrets it would be this one. They hadn't been expressly ordered to retrieve any bodies, at least _he_ hadn't, he glowered at the thought, but the information could do them good. It would at least help when they inevitably sent a copy of the mission report to the Hidden Mist to update their bingo book, these missing-nin were their responsibility after all.

He followed Sakura's scent. She'd finished off the last man and, true to her word, headed north. She managed to stay ahead of him while he was shouldered with the dead man's weight, and was waiting for him at the distance she'd specified.

His irritation spiked when he saw she was alone.

"Where are my dogs?" He asked, attempting to conceal his foul mood. He dropped the body, it landing with a dull thud.

He looked at her expectantly and she only stared at him impassively in return.

"I can't tell you." She said bluntly. She leaned against a tree nonchalantly.

His eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?" He all but sputtered at her.

Sakura looked away. She seemed to be thinking about something.

"Who is the woman?" Kakashi asked roughly, becoming aggravated by the continued secrecy.

That got her attention.

She whipped around and looked at him, her stance widening defensively. She was apparently prepared to argue with him. "Damn it Pakkun." She muttered.

He snorted. "He's my summon, of course he told me."

She glared at him. "Look, Kakashi-san, I can't talk about this. Hokage-sama's orders."

He advanced towards her now, his steps bringing him right into her space without thinking.

"Look," he mimicked her tone with that single word before switching to his captain's voice, "Tsunade clearly isn't thinking straight if those are truly your orders, and you _have_ lost it if you think I'm about to high tail it back to the village and leave a chunin in the field with not one, but possibly two Akatsuki members sniffing around."

Every part of his honed instincts told him something was wrong with this picture. He'd dedicated his whole life to protecting the village, civilians and shinobi alike. Orders or not, he could not in good conscience leave her out here by herself. He didn't want to, not her.

She huffed, her warm breath blasting over his cheeks, and seemed to be struggling not to retort. Resentment and defiance burned in her eyes but she stood firm, making no attempt to move away from him. He suddenly realized their position.

Her back was pressed to the tree and he was bent over her, his forearm anchored to the tree above her head. Blood rushed to his face as he realized that, once again, he'd gotten much too close. Something about her kept drawing him in.

But he couldn't move. This time she seemed entirely unconcerned with his proximity and he was too stubborn to back down, so he stayed put and ignored the raise in his body temperature. He needed to understand.

"When you report, tell the Godaime that 'spring is upon us. The cherry blossoms are blooming.' If she respects me, she'll give you some answers. But I can't give you what you want now." Her glare softened and suddenly she looked drained.

Kakashi stared at her, struck by how mature she looked in this moment. That was an expression he was entirely too familiar with, one worn down by responsibility and solitude, an expression that he would never have expected to see on the face of one of his former students.

He considered her words, obviously a coded message, and wondered what all she was hiding from him. Slowly he stepped away from her and nodded. He was torn between the desire to stay and protect her, and the desire to turn heel and return to the village for the answers he craved. He resigned himself. His duty was the mission.

"As soon as I report I'm coming back out for you." Kakashi said warningly. He was miffed when she smiled at him, as if he'd said something funny.

She took a couple paces, about to run but he stopped her.

"Wait."

She stopped and looked at him.

"Did you kill that man? Nao." He asked curiously.

Sakura smiled again, this time in wicked satisfaction. "Yes."

His voice was gruff as he replied. "Good."

Then she made hand signs and disappeared in a cloud of smoke as she teleported out. His sensitive nose could still detect her scent, now almost a kilometer back the way they'd came.

Sighing, he reshouldered the missing-nin corpse and began running. He knew where he was, only a couple hour's run from the Bounty Station. At a leisurely shinobi pace, the village was a day's run from here, but if he didn't tarry or take any breaks he'd get there sooner. In true Hatake Kakashi fashion, he challenged himself to cut the distance down to twelve hours. He focused his chakra to his feet and took off.

•~•

Thirteen hours later Kakashi stood panting at the gates of Konoha. He dropped the body in disgust and let the gate guards handle the transport to the analysis unit. His limbs trembled with the telltale signs of severe chakra depletion. Without his hitai-ate his sharingan had been unveiled the whole way, and in his haste he'd not shut his eye, and he never stemmed the chakra supply to his feet, determined to make the trip as quickly as possible.

He ignored his fatigue and made his way to the Hokage tower, running lightly over the rooftops. He didn't care that it was dinner time, he knew she'd still be there. A Hokage's job was never finished.

She was sitting at her desk when he came in rifling through an endless pile of paperwork. Shizune and a couple ANBU ops were with her, discussing something. Even though they were masked he recognized Genma and Yamato easily. Tonton was asleep in her lap.

She seemed surprised to see him. "I gave you three days, Hatake. It hasn't even been two. One of these days you need to start underachieving just a little."

"Reporting, Lady Hokage." He responded dryly. He'd had time to think of a strategy on his return trip and he put it to use now.

"Recovery of the target was a success." Kakashi said placidly. "She's with Sakura now, en route."

It was morbidly entertaining, if not terrifying, watching the colors change on Tsunade's face. He gave her a charming smile. He was just irritated enough to stow his apprehension at intentionally provoking the Sannin.

"Where did you leave her?" She asked through gritted teeth, struggling to retain her composure.

"Two hours southeast from Bounty Station, at standard pace. The return journey was rather pleasant, I suspect spring is approaching. The cherry blossoms were in bloom." He directed his stare to the blonde woman.

Tsunade paused, and the other three looked at him oddly. He understood why, it was an odd thing to say.

"Yamato, Genma. Dismissed." The busty woman barked. "Shizune, take Tonton, and grab dinner for Hatake and myself. My favorite curry place, if you please."

The ANBU ops disappeared immediately, but Shizune hesitated.

"But, Lady Tsunade, that's-"

"Now!" The Godaime roared.

Shizune grabbed Tonton and hurried out, casting backwards glances as she went.

"Sit."

Kakashi hesitated. He was reluctant to relax and let go of his adrenaline. He fully intended to go after Sakura but he was also aware that his energy reserves had dwindled drastically, although Tsunade's golden stare didn't leave much room for argument.

He sat.

"What all did she tell you?" She asked him in a hard voice.

"She didn't tell me anything." Kakashi shrugged. He may be upset but he didn't want to get his former teammate in trouble. "I figured out a couple of things because she borrowed my summons."

He noted how Tsunade relaxed considerably.

"I should have known I can't get everything past you," She sighed, "You must forgive me, but it was political circumstances that prevented me from clueing you in."

The silver haired man simply raised an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

"Even now, I'm risking unrest by sharing this with you before the task is completed. I'm sure I don't need to say that this doesn't leave the room." She continued. She reached into her desk and pulled out a scroll that bore the seal of the Kazekage. She handed it to him.

He opened it and read it over quickly. Some of the tension left his shoulders, but his gut hardened as he realized the situation.

"I'd already sent Gaara our list of shinobi that would be involved, and as he is understandably stressed with his current affairs, I did not want to risk aggravating him further by expanding that list without his knowledge." She explained.

"And Sakura is on that list, yet I'm not?" He questioned incredulously.

Her gaze sharpened. "You were otherwise engaged with ANBU and I did not have the leisure to wait upon your return. Of course Sakura is on the list, we needed a skilled medic-nin! Don't even try to deny that Matsuri was grievously injured when you found her."

"I didn't see her with my own eyes," He muttered quietly before arguing, "but why not use the ANBU medics? They have more field experience. To prevent risking desertion charges, I just left Sakura out there with the Akatsuki nearby."

"What!" Tsunade exclaimed. "How many?"

"At the very least, the swordsman Kisame. But that alone leads us to believe that Itachi was nearby. One of their men said he'd stepped away to meet with someone, so I hold my suspicions." Kakashi informed her. "This is why I'm back so soon, Sakura learned of this and suggested to retreat. We got out before they returned."

"Good." Tsunade said, but her eyes narrowed in deep thought. "This doesn't bode well for us. This indicates that the Akatsuki has a vetted interest in the war between the Sand and Rain."

"So why not ANBU?" Kakashi insisted, not letting it go. "This mission was too advanced for a chunin, skilled medic or not."

Tsunade gazed at him levelly. She crossed her arms over her enormous chest and heaved a sigh.

He tensed as she activated the room's privacy seals. No one but them would be able to hear her next words.

"Two reasons. Because I don't want Danzo to be notified of the Kazekage's situation… and because Sakura isn't a chunin."

Kakashi started. There had been two jounin exams while he'd been gone, but like all jounin, he had received the list of potential candidates. Sakura had not been among them.

"What do you mean?" He asked in a hard voice. His mind was whirling as he tried to process this new possibility. Thinking back to how she'd behaved and fought, he realized that it wasn't entirely implausible.

The Godaime walked over to the room's hidden safe. He averted his eyes, aware that it wasn't within his station to know what lay inside. She came back and handed him what she'd removed from it.

"The one she carries is official, but its fake."

He read it carefully.

**Ninja: x Sakura**

**NRN: 012601**

**Rank: Jounin**

**Age: 17**

**Blood Type: O**

He felt a small twinge of sadness at her singular name. But as he flipped it over he was filled with increasing anxiety.

**D: 46**

**C: 67**

**B: 31**

**A: 52**

**S: 17**

**X: 2**

"Its still being updated." She warned him softly.

He read her mission stats, initially uncomprehending. He then began mathing it out in his head. Most of those D and C ranks had been done with team 7, and a good amount of those B ranks as well. But still, she'd somehow done nearly a hundred missions in his absence and they were all B-rank and above…

Sakura was taking missions at almost the same rate he normally did, which was extremely unhealthy for a rookie jounin. _He_ was used to it. If he wasn't in the field he felt caged and useless.

Kakashi stared at the two unranked missions, deeply unsettled. _What could those have possibly been that I didn't know she'd taken them?_

He silently handed the registration back to the Hokage and she returned it to the safe. It was undeniable, Sakura is a jounin. So why didn't that make him feel any better about her being out there without him?

His head began to spin as his exhaustion took hold. It was rounding on two days without sleep, though that was normal for him, but his chakra was severely depleted and he'd forgotten when he'd eaten last.

"Why isn't she registered?" He asked once the spinning halted.

"For her protection." Tsunade answered, eyeing him with concern. She had obviously seen his fatigue, having a trained eye for such a thing. "The more renowned she is, the more of a target she is. Her abilities are invaluable and I want to avoid her being killed for the sake of someone's ego. I'm sure you understand that."

He stilled. Kakashi was all too familiar with assassination attempts. Between the number of people he's killed or angered on his own assignments, there were probably hundreds that wanted him dead. Outside the field, he experienced at least one direct attempt on his life each year.

"Now," Tsunade ordered, "tell me everything you learned."

He spent the next half hour summarizing all the details of the mission. Tsunade interjected every now and then, asking a clarifying question, but was otherwise silent as she recorded what he said.

Shizune returned with the food somewhere in between and Kakashi wolfed it down. He was too hungry to worry about manners.

"Why did you have us undercover as a married couple?" He asked drowsily, suddenly remembering another thing that occurred to him as he ran home. It had no longer made sense if it was intended for them to be separated by the traffickers. He was still embarrassed about his impromptu kiss.

"Oh that." Tsunade waved him off. "Sakura 'lost' the key to my sake cabinet. I had to punish her somehow. You were just collateral."

He blacked out before he had any time to process how he felt about that response, but not before he realized he'd been drugged. He tried to stand but lost his balance. The last thing Kakashi saw before his eyes closed was Tsunade's smug grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This note wasn't here when I originally posted this chapter, my apologies to anyone who's gonna miss it.)
> 
> So up to this point I've been updating pretty quickly, every 3-4 days, but I need to slow it down a little. I still plan to update a new chapter each week, I just need to give myself those extra days so I don't burn out x'D I'm just too excited to see how much you all enjoy the story.
> 
> In return for longer wait times on the updates, I commissioned a pic that I'm going to attach to either chapter 6 or 7. It all depends on my chosen artist, I want them to feel comfortable and unrushed too! They gave me a 2 week estimate. Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading!


	5. R&R (Rest and Reconnaissance)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was harder than I thought waiting a whole week to post, but ah the fruits of my labor! This chapter is twice as long as the others so far!!
> 
> Feel free to message me on IG for one shot requests or any comments you'd rather be private. I'm not a very active poster there so don't worry about following, but I love hearing from you guys :) @hatanaka_shiori
> 
> ⚠️Trigger ⚠️ Warnings ⚠️ : References to NonCon and the trauma that follows  
> Also some mild sexual content and innuendos 
> 
> For your peace of mind on some of the scenes in this chapter, I've included some explanations/details in the notes at the bottom. If you don't mind some spoilers for the chapter you can read them before, but otherwise they'll be there waiting for you once you've read it through.
> 
> I'm not TLDR-ing it, sorry 🥰 
> 
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------

~•~•~•~•~

Fear.

That's what she should be feeling. She kept running trying to push herself into Kakashi-like speeds, because that's the kind of speed this situation called for.

Behind her was Kisame, Samehada drawn, as he followed close behind. His pointed teeth were bared in a wild, promising fashion.

She should be scared, but all she could feel was the firm grip of exhilaration that came from surviving with nothing but the strength of her wits and her own two hands.

She'd lost her tantou a couple kilometers back in a desperate attempt to distract her pursuer. It had given her the moment she needed to run.

Destroying the compound wall must have set off some kind of alarm. She'd given the clearing a wide berth as she started her comparatively short journey towards Matsuri's location, but somehow the blue-skinned Akatsuki member had sniffed her out.

If Sakura had reacted even a millisecond slower she was certain she would have been cleaved in two by the spiked sword. Her yellow top had been shredded in the attack and now hung in tatters over her slight frame. It might have escaped intact if it had been more form-fitting.

"Well what have we here." He'd cackled humorlessly, circling her even as she stepped opposite of him, not turning her back for anything. "Seems you were the one who killed my men. I must say I'm impressed, Cherry."

Her eyes hadn't left him. He'd only smiled with a wolfish look in his eyes, and she soon came to learn that this was a man who celebrated both his wins and losses.

"It really gets a man's blood boiling when he's faced with a strong woman."

He'd barely gotten the sentence out before she'd flung her tantou towards him, nearly taking him in the throat. He'd sidestepped quickly and it impaled the tree behind him. For a scant moment Kisame was distracted enough for her to turn and run.

She wasn't helpless. She wasn't weak. It simply would have been senseless for her to engage. Her mission hadn't ended yet and she couldn't spare the risk.

Though she wasn't sure how she was supposed to get out of this. He never strayed far behind her.

She glimpsed the river through a gap in the trees. She'd been running parallel to it, but she could see a bend approaching. Sakura realized she shouldn't go much further or she'd risk leading him too close to Matsuri and the bunker.

She frowned as she thought about her options. Only two were most viable, but both held higher chances of failure that she liked. She could fight or she could…

She growled, glancing back, as she realized which of the two had a better survivability chance.

She'd completed many seduction missions with high levels of success. Sakura wasn't too bothered by them anymore, it had begun with a stiff learning curve and she'd adjusted well. However, field seductions were different. Much riskier and often resulted unfavorably. She'd only done it once before and her circumstances had been much more forgiving. She'd had a team in the shadows and her target was not an S-rank rogue shinobi.

Though thanks to Matsuri, she knew what kind of man Kisame was and that gave her an edge. She probably wouldn't be able to kill him, but she had a good chance at incapacitating him long enough to escape safely. Imperceptibly, she slipped something from her seal and put it in her mouth.

Swallowing a flutter of unease, she stopped dead in her tracks and removed her tattered top. Her torso was now bare except for her chest bindings and her wrapped shoulder.

Sakura felt him stop right behind her. She cleared her face of analytical thought and turned to look at him. She tapped into her seduction persona, the one that wouldn't flinch from any type of advance.

She saw that she held his attention and his black eyes burned with interest. It seems Kisame hadn't expected her to stop but he wasn't entirely unpleased with the change.

"Change of heart?" He asked in a low baritone. Samehada was still unsheathed at his side, held almost lovingly in his grip.

Her lips curved with a sultry smile and she stretched languidly, as if she were entirely unconcerned by him. "It's hard to ignore when someone pursues me so fiercely. I was intrigued."

He beheld her with intelligent caution but his curiosity was getting the better of him. He stepped closer. "Is that so?" He grinned, his eyes greedily drinking in her bare skin.

"How could I not be?" She adorned an air of appreciation and spoke confidently. He said he enjoyed strong women hadn't he? She took a step closer like he'd done. "You're not the only one who finds strength alluring."

Sakura met his gaze, warning him with her eyes that she wanted to reach out to him before she did. She had to be cautious in case he decided he'd rather fight. Then she ran her fingers down his arm enticingly to the hilt of his sword with explorative fingers. He tensed but relaxed as she spoke again.

"Such an impressive sword," She purred suggestively, "I wonder if that's representative of his master."

The swordsman rumbled, "How forward. I like you, Cherry." He swung the massive sword skillfully, and returned it to it's perch on his back. "I think I might keep you."

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her flush against him. She hadn't fully realized the towering figure he had until that moment. He stood head and shoulders taller than her, she was eye level with his muscled chest. It didn't take him long to begin running his rough hands over her body, dropping lower to the curve of her backside.

She threw him a challenging smile. "Is this all? I expected more than a powerful embrace, big boy."

Kisame grunted appreciatively in response to her cocky banter, but didn't honor her with a response. Instead his hands dropped lower to grip her thighs and hike her into the air, forcing her to wrap her legs around him for balance. His hands kneaded the soft flesh of her cheeks and he pulled her towards him further, her core forced against his abdomen so that he could consume her mouth. It was dominating yet somehow chaste the way his lips took hold of hers. She knew her lips would be bruised but he didn't yet invade the cave of her mouth.

Her hands reached around his head and gripped his hair tightly. In response he dropped his mouth to her neck and sucked harshly. Sakura cried out in surprise, and hissed through her teeth as she felt her skin split under the force he used.

He chuckled against her skin. "Surely you weren't expecting rose petals and soft caresses?"

"N-no," she stuttered, mentally steeling herself. "I was just surprised that a man like you is even _holding back._ "

"Holding back?" He barked a laugh, rearing his head up to glare at her with beady eyes. She had successfully provoked him.

"I'm only warming up sweetheart." Kisame growled warningly.

Sakura lifted her chin purposefully, baring her neck in invitation to him, and gave him a half-lidded look that she knew he'd interpret as unfiltered desire.

"Skip the warm up then." She goaded him.

He growled again, but deeper than before, and before she knew it Sakura found her back pressed into the ground. She could feel his monstrous arousal grinding against her thigh.

The sharkman wasted no time. He ripped at her chest binds in attempts to fondle her chest as his serrated teeth pierced the skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder. His jaw moved as he tore jagged lines of red into her skin, and he began sucking and lapping aggressively at the red streams that followed.

" _So_ sweet-" He groaned gutterally.

"No. Hnngh!" She gasped and yelped. She couldn't help struggling against him but an iron grip held her down. This was too painful to hinge upon any form of pleasure, but she shouldn't have to wait long now.

 _Hook, line, and sinker_. She felt a twinge of amusement at that irony through the pain.

It took two minutes. He was just so large, it made sense. She was beginning to get dizzy. Luckily Kisame was too enamored with the taste of her blood to do much more to her before it took effect.

His limbs finally slowed and stilled. The last thing to stop moving was his face. "What the hell. What's happen-" His face froze in a snarl before he could finish.

With some difficulty she shoved him off and slowly sat up. She was quivering with adrenaline and relief. She hadn't been completely certain that the paralytic pill would work like she wanted and she thanked the stars above that it had.

She'd used her chakra to hold the medication in one part of her blood stream until she was sure she could spur Kisame into following his baser instincts. His shark-like appearance made for a fair assumption that he had a blood kink. Once he'd latched on she moved it into his area of focus to ensure that he absorbed it. His own blood stream, pumping more steadily in his lust, did the rest.

The man shouldn't be able to move for at least an hour, plenty of time for her to get away.

She stood shakily, trying to readjust her shredded chest bindings. Kisame had really done a number on them, her breasts were nearly hanging out.

But instead of running she turned to look down at the paralyzed swordsman. His eyes betrayed the rage he harbored towards her for being outwitted. She could easily kill him now and the world would be better for it. Fury boiled low in her stomach. He had plenty to atone for.

It was the thought of Matsuri that had her moving towards him with killer intent. The least she could do was return to the former captive with the news that her torturer was dead.

Sakura had only taken one step before a restraining hand crossed over her chest from behind, the flat edge of a ninjato blade pressed to her throat in warning. She stiffened. She hadn't heard or sensed anyone approaching.

"I wondered how that would go, but I think this little encounter ends here." A smooth, deep voice sounded in her ear. "Now, please don't move."

That voice. It was too similar to the one she knew for her to not recognize it.

Itachi.

He released her and stepped into her line of sight. The crimson pattern on his black robes seemed to make his eyes all the more striking. He regarded his comrade for a moment before studying her closely. His eyes never left her face. She didn't dare move an inch under his red gaze no matter how passive his expression appeared. There was no fighting her way out of this one.

"For your sake, I will make sure he remembers none of this," He finally said.

Sakura was a little taken aback by his gentlemanly tone.

"Hoshigaki tends to foster… obsessions, towards women like yourself. It's in your best interest that he not remember you putting him in his place."

"Why would you do that?" She asked harshly. She didn't understand why this clan killer would do her any favors.

"Consider it my thank you." He responded vaguely.

"Thank you for what?" Sakura asked, confused.

His expression quirked slightly, as if amused, and they both disappeared in a smattering of raven feathers.

She sank to the ground with a deep exhale.

_What the **hell** was that? _

Her nerves were splintering now that the danger had passed. In the last hour she'd come face to face with two S-rank criminals. She'd actually immobilized one through _field seduction_. It was enough to give even the most hardened kunoichi pause.

She only sat there long enough to regain a steady rhythm of breathing. The sedative she'd stuck Matsuri with was only potent for a few hours. She needed to locate her and get her into the bunker before she woke up.

•~•

Sakura gratefully shrugged into a clean uniform, just glad to be decently covered again.

It hadn't taken her long to track down Ūhei and Matsuri, though she'd been surprised to see Pakkun with them.

She made sure to expressly tell the two dogs not to share any details with Kakashi this time.

"I understand your need for loyalty," she'd said, "but this is a matter of political security. If you can't bring yourself to lie just stay silent. I'll make sure any anger he feels will be directed at me."

Then they'd disappeared off to wherever summons go, leaving her to carry the girl to the outpost. It wasn't far, so Sakura hadn't minded, cradling the brunette to her chest protectively.

Now safe inside the hidden outpost Sakura just waited for the sedative to wear off. This particular bunker was used more as a relief point for traveling squads. No windows and it was small, one room with two bunk beds, a kitchenette stocked with non-perishables, and the most minimalistic bathroom ever. The shower barely fit a person. One couldn't breathe in this place without being heard by everyone within.

Since Sakura was the only one here, and it would be at least a day or so before her team arrived, she broke protocol by leaving the Sand ninja unrestrained. She couldn't bear to put the woman in another set of cuffs until she really had to. She'd been through enough.

Sakura shifted painfully. The black ANBU tank top didn't quite cover the teeth marks in her shoulder, so she'd covered what was left with some gauze. The chakra she'd pushed through her shoulder while administering the paralytic was preventing her healing jutsu from working on the wound for some reason. It would be several days before she could remove the teeth marks.

Thankfully Matsuri had healed just fine. Most of her cuts had been infected so it had taken a fair amount of chakra and time, but that didn't matter to her. The brunette had barely reacted when Sakura reset her shoulder, still comatose from the sedative. Unfortunately, Sakura had been unable to remove all of the scars. She'd hoped to erase all physical reminders for this part of the woman's life.

Sakura paced the small room, feeling restless, biting her nails absentmindedly. She hoped Tenzo-taicho would be bringing her mask. Even though she was alone, she was on edge being in uniform without it. The strict confidentiality of her ANBU identity had been firmly drilled into her. She wouldn't be able to relax until she had it.

Until then, Sakura made do with a henge. She made her face more angular, almost animalistic, and altered her hair to an auburn brown, lastly darkening her green eyes into something more forest-y. The look was reminiscent of the wig and contacts she always wore on ANBU assignments. Her pink hair was a dead giveaway, no mask would ever be able to disguise that… She considered this her 'vixen form'. She'd heard the name flit around her in the main headquarters and was secretly pleased about it. The Vixen. It made her feel mysterious and powerful.

The henge wouldn't work on anyone who was familiar with her chakra signature but it was still better than nothing. She was fairly certain that while the Sand ninja was familiar with her face, Marsuri hadn't been around her enough to recognize her just from her chakra.

She now lay on the bunk across from Matsuri while waiting for her to wake up. She'd found a book that someone had left behind last time they were here and read it quietly as she waited. She felt oddly serene with all this calm compared to the past couple days. Before long her thoughts began to drift towards the events last night and earlier today.

It was obvious that Kakashi wasn't aware of all her improvements. His words earlier had smarted at her pride.

" _You have lost it if you think I'm about to high tail it back to the village and leave a chunin in the field with not one, but possibly two Akatsuki members sniffing around_."

A chunin. "Pfft." She huffed, feeling more resentful than ever about her gag order.

It probably hadn't been his intention but his words had felt condescending, like he didn't believe she could handle herself. She found that she wanted his recognition, so she gave him the code phrase that Tsunade told her to use when she believed it necessary to share details with someone. It probably hadn't been necessary but he'd been so damn insistent. She knew he wouldn't have left without some kind of incentive, so she'd dangled the carrot.

Sakura tried to remember if Kakashi had always been like that. Emotional, almost explosively so. When she was his student had she been too young then to recognize it? Maybe too concerned with getting Sasuke's attention to notice? Somehow she didn't think so. He'd always been aloof, effortless. Of course stern when called for, but never uncontrolled. A tree in the wind, not a reed, standing firm and undeterred by all the forces that opposed him.

Something had changed, but she didn't know what. His displays of rage, anger, and even resentment had been astonishing enough but those didn't compare to how dumbfoundingly impish and _cozy_ he'd been in that cart.

Sakura knew Kakashi had always toed the line between professional and playful. He could flash between captain and prankster at the drop of a hat. Almost like a child that wasn't quite ready to grow up yet. But last night felt very different than prankster Kakashi… He hadn't treated her like he was her commanding officer, but like a friend.

A close friend.

She didn't know what had surprised her more. His sense of familiarity or hers. She hadn't known what came over her, teasing him like that, but instead of reprimanding her, he'd rewarded her. For one so well known he was very private. The fact that he'd given her three opportunities to learn more about him stunned her. She hadn't the slightest idea what to ask about.

A faint blush rose to her cheeks as she remembered how his chest had felt against her back. Muscular and firm, and it had been oddly comforting. He was so relaxed it had been contagious, unable to find it in herself to be concerned that they were basically cuddling. It had been for warmth but still, Kakashi made it seem like it was the easiest thing in the world to be sitting like that with her. She was almost disappointed that his hands had been cuffed behind his back. She wondered what it might have felt like to have had his arms wrapped around her waist…

A bolt of electricity went down her spine and Sakura sat up swiftly, promptly smacking her forehead on the bunk above her. She winced, rubbing her head. What was she thinking? That was _so not_ appropriate.

Her sudden motion seemed to have disturbed Matsuri, who was now stirring. Sakura jumped out of the bed and went to the kitchenette. She grabbed a couple bottles of water and some protein bars.

When she came back, the Sand ninja was sitting up and looking around blearily. "Where am I? Is Haruno with you?"

"She's not here right now, she's out scouting." Sakura lied. She felt a small amount of remorse for being untruthful with her but it was required of her. "Matsuri, is it?" She offered her the water and food.

The other woman nodded. She drank the water eagerly, draining one bottle quickly and then sipping at the next one. Sakura waited, knowing she would need her strength for what came next.

"Sakura explained to me what you've gone through," she began gently, using a more tenor version of her own voice, "do you understand what I have to do next? I promise that you won't feel any pain, but I understand how invasive it will feel. It will only hurt if you resist."

Matsuri gave her a nod and the apprehension in her eyes showed that she understood what Sakura meant.

Genjutsu. She'd be delving into her mind.

Sakura's insane chakra control afforded her a natural affinity for genjutsu that bordered on prodigal. She intended to use her own developed version of saiko denshin, as hers was a much gentler one. It allowed her to walk through specific memories of a willing participant while simultaneously checking for anything that would tell her those memories had been tampered with. It gave her participant more control, to be able to nudge her mind if they needed a break. It never worked on enemies, they would force her out and in turn she would be forced to use the standard version, which was more crude than she was comfortable with. She didn't want every detail of the girl's life, just the parts she needed to acquit her. She didn't think Matsuri would fight her.

"We just need to know if you gave anything away and that they haven't left anything in your mind that could hurt you or us. The one who interrogated you is known to travel with a missing-nin that uses genjutsu flawlessly. They could have broken into your mind without your knowledge." Sakura gave a thorough explanation, making sure that Matsuri understood her intentions fully. "I will examine one memory outside your capture, at your discretion, to use as reference so I can discern that none of your memories were tampered with, but besides that I will go no deeper into your mind than necessary."

Matsuri was staring at her with awe and respect. "Why are you being so considerate? You owe me no allegiance."

"Our minds should be our one safe place," Sakura answered solemnly, "I can't defile such a sanctuary in good conscience, not undeservingly."

Matsuri's eyes watered and her voice shook. "T-thank y-… What do I call you?"

"You may call me Kitsune." Sakura replied, unable to think of anything else quick enough.

"Thank you, Kitsune." The woman said firmly.

Sakura reached over and took the woman's head between her hands, giving her a reassuring smile. "Are you ready?"

Matsuri's hands jumped up to grip hers tightly. "W-wait. Is Haruno coming back? I need her help with something before I'm sent home."

There was a moment's pause before Sakura could find a decent answer. "She will be sometime soon, though I'm not sure when. This process takes a few hours. Is it urgent?"

"I need her for a… medical procedure." The brunette answered haltingly.

"I was certain she healed you when you both arrived. Did she miss something?" Sakura tried to navigate the conversation to understand what Matsuri was wanting. She'd definitely healed all her injuries.

"I-" Matsuri swallowed nervously. "I want her to make it so I can't have children."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock. She didn't know how to respond, and simply stared at her.

"You'll understand soon enough." Matsuri closed her eyes. She looked more settled than before. Determined. "I'm ready, let's get this over with."

"Okay," Sakura said, shrugging off a deep feeling of foreboding so she could concentrate, "Once I'm in, lead me towards a memory you're fine with showing me, then we'll begin."

•~•

Sakura dropped her hands, shaking with exhaustion. She glanced at the clock. It had taken almost six hours to comb through a week of memories. The Sand ninja was clear of any enemy tampering.

Matsuri fell back against the bed with a solid thump. She was out cold. Sakura could feel her henge start to flicker and released it, not risking any more chakra.

Between her depleted chakra reserves and her emotional state, she felt weighed down and clumsy. She raised a leaden arm to wipe her eyes as furious tears sprang forth, a frustrated sob tearing at her throat. She wanted nothing more than to get up and hunt the Akatsuki swordsman down. To carve him into tiny pieces, starting with his manhood. Her skin crawled at the idea that she'd ever let such scum touch her.

A mix of pity and respect battled in her chest as she looked at the comatose brunette. Despite her horrible ordeal she hadn't given in. She had stayed strong with a level of outward pride that amazed Sakura, but the young kunoichi had been privy to every emotion that the woman experienced. The fear, the pain, the self loathing, the bottomless apathy as she tried to escape the situation by disappearing within herself… Sakura had felt it all.

She hardened her heart. If she dwelled on this it would rip her apart. She got up and finished the water that Matsuri had left and scarfed down one of the protein bars.

Then she methodically examined Matsuri to ensure that she wasn't in any danger due to excessive fatigue and afterwards covered her with a blanket. Next she grabbed more food from the kitchen and put it where the brunette would see it in case she woke up.

Sakura finally collapsed on her own bunk, pulling the covers up to her neck, ready to give in to the heavy pull of sleep. It was only mid-afternoon but she could hardly care about that now. She would wake if anyone approached.

When they'd first arrived she had set up the alarm triggers that would go off if anyone came within a kilometer of the outpost. She closed her eyes and darkness swept her away.

•~•

_"You weren't there!"_

_"You weren't there!"_

_"You weren't there, Sakura. You can't help me now."_

Sakura woke with a choked cry.

Matsuri slept on.

She sighed and tried shaking off the darkness of the all too common nightmare. She looked at the clock again. They'd both slept for a little over a day. It wasn't too surprising, both their bodies needed the recovery time, the brunette more so.

Sakura sat for a long while thinking about Matsuri's request. She came to a decision after much contemplation. Sakura placed a gauze pad over her ANBU tattoo and reached to wake the woman gently. There wasn't much time before her teammates would arrive.

Matsuri groaned and sat up. She still looked bone tired, and Sakura could hardly blame her. "Haruno." She greeted her sleepily. She reached automatically for the water and drank it, looking much more awake after she did.

"Please, just Sakura." The pink haired girl said weakly, her nightmare still close to the surface. "Kitsune told me about what you wanted." She cut to the chase.

Matsuri trained her eyes on her expectantly.

"I can't do it." Sakura shook her head.

"Why not?" The brunette protested, obviously upset. "Please Haru- I mean, Sakura. It would mean so much to me."

"There's a long list of reasons why I won't," Sakura said steadily. She'd thought long and hard about this. "The first one being that right now your body couldn't handle such an intense operation. You're exhausted. There's a decent chance that you would die if I tried, I'm not willing to risk you.

The Sand ninja was quiet as Sakura kept talking. She'd prepared a whole speech, hoping to persuade the woman against this idea.

"Next is that I don't have the equipment here to do it safely and this area isn't sanitized or private. An ANBU team should be getting here soon, and that's not something they should see."

"I'm willing to risk that, Kitsune could tell you." Matsuri argued desperately.

"I know, and she did. Kitsune also shared her own thoughts about it with me. She understands how painful and scary it was, what happened to you. How you felt the whole time." Sakura said softly.

Matsuri's shoulders shook as she held back tears. "Then she should know just how much relief it would bring me."

"But she also felt your love."

"My love?"

"Yes," Sakura said firmly, "It wasn't just loyalty that kept you strong. Kitsune told me that she was almost swept away by your love, for your country, for your people, for Lord Gaara."

The brunette's cheeks turned pink but she said nothing, staring at her hands.

"It's no secret how you feel for him, Matsuri. Even without Kitsune, I already knew that." Sakura said warmly. "You're always at his side when he needs you, unwavering. I know he cares for you too."

Matsuri said nothing, her knuckles turning white as her hands balled into fists. Sakura gave her a moment to process. She eventually spoke "I know, I… I just can't bear the thought of holding that fear again," her jaw was set as she refused the tears that threatened to fall. "That once it was over, it might not be _over_. I don't want it to even be a possibility that I might bear a child in such a way, i-if I'm ever caught again."

"I don't blame you." Sakura said seriously. "But I don't think this is a decision you should make now, I think you should go home and recover first. And I don't mean just physically. I think you should discuss this with someone you trust. If after you've had some counseling you still feel that it's necessary, _then_ come to me and I will absolutely help you with this."

Matsuri thought about it, looking torn. "You promise? If I decide that's what I really want, you'll help me?"

"Yes." Sakura's voice rang with sincerity. "I just wouldn't want you to miss out on something so beautiful because of fear."

The brunette calmed and a very thoughtful look came over her face. "You Leaf women are very wise for so few years you know, both you and Kitsune."

"Eeh?" Sakura jumped self-consciously. "What do you mean?"

Before Matsuri could respond, the security alarms buzzed. She tensed.

"It's probably just the ANBU team, but let me go check." Sakura said tersely, right back into combat mode. "Stay here." She quickly shoved on her boots and slipped out the hidden entrance.

She covered her chakra and flash-stepped into the trees. She ran silently towards the sound of running feet. She heard three different sets. She circled around behind them soundlessly.

Just on his posture, she knew the lead had sensed her presence, but the other two were oblivious. With a grin, she leapt towards the left flank and tackled him. He hit the ground with a grunt.

"Your detection skills are getting shoddy, Raidou." She joked.

"Fuuuck." The voice under the porcelain wolf mask groaned. "Your _identification_ skills could use some work too, Petal. Man if you missed me that much you could've just said so. You know I can't resist your charms."

Sakura leapt off of him, beet red. "Genma? What the hell are you doing here!"

He pulled the mast off, revealing his usual shit eating grin, sans senbon. "Raidou and Shizune were ordered to head the two support squads for those missing refugees. So I'm filling in, lucky you right?"

"Yeah, suuuper lucky" Sakura rolled her eyes, agreeing playfully. "I get a replacement who doesn't even listen for rear assaults, great huh?"

In response he reached out and tore the gauze off her arm before she could jump out of reach. She loosed a hiss of panic and seized his wrist in a crushing grip.

"Aw hell, it's true!" He crowed at the sight of her tattoo, undeterred by her violent reaction. "Taicho, I was _positive_ you were fucking with me. Damn Petal, this uniform suits you well."

The right flank, Kotetsu, removed his mask, shooting the male shinobi an irritated look, the expression straining the bandage that crossed his cheeks. He stepped protectively in Sakura's direction, unapproving of Genma's flirtatious personality.

"Shut it, perv." She warned, relaxing. She threw his hand back towards him. He only smirked in response, causing her to blush deeper. She replaced the gauze on her arm, ignoring his amorous ogling.

If Yamato had told him, he'd obviously been cleared. Her captain was too much of a rules lawyer for any other possibility.

"Sakura." Yamato greeted her, removing his mask as well. He looked relieved, "Glad to see you're alright. Kakashi mentioned that you'd sighted the Akatsuki before we were sent out."

"Hai, Taicho." She nodded. "Before we go back I have to tell you…"

In a quick, undetailed fashion she reported what had transpired. Her encounter with the Akatsuki members, and her examination of Matsuri's memories. She impressed upon them the fragile state that their ward was in. She left out the gory details, trying to spare Matsuri's dignity.

They all reacted in their own ways as she described her own encounter with the Akatsuki. Yamato had stilled and his gaze sharpened as he listened intently, and she could tell that he was shocked. Kotetsu had tensed up in an outraged manner, ever her guard dog. Even Genma had appropriated a somber expression as she talked, looking uncharacteristically serious.

"I know the place is small, but make every effort not to crowd her." She finished firmly. She'd kept face stoic throughout their reactions but inwardly had been warmed by their obvious concern for her. "She was okay when I left her, but I don't know how she'll fare around a sudden male presence."

The three of them nodded and they all headed towards the bunker, the team considerately letting her take the lead before going inside.

"It's ok, Matsuri. It's just the team I mentioned. They'll be part of your escort back to Suna." Sakura called inside. She saw the brunette slump. The poor woman looked tired again, but more at ease now that she knew the alarm had been triggered by friendlies. "Go back to sleep." Sakura said gently as the men filed in behind her, "we'll be leaving in the morning."

The woman nodded and obediently closed her eyes. It wasn't long before her breathing deepened. She still needed as much rest as she could get.

"Tetsu-kun, it's your turn to figure out dinner." Sakura joked tiredly. "I could even go for your traveler's delight at this point."

Kotetsu grinned at her warmly, pulling her into a side hug. She was referring to his awful concoction of instant ramen, oatmeal, and granola. Tasted like shit, but one could almost go for two days without eating again after a single serving. Carb overload.

"Good to see you holding up, Sakura." The older man said before bustling into the tiny kitchen. They'd settled into a familiar routine.

It was good to be surrounded by comrades again. Yamato sent Genma to reset the alarms, and then beckoned for her to step outside with him.

"You did really well, I'm proud of you." Was the first thing he said.

"Thank you, taicho." She sighed. She was self sufficient, but it was nice to be back under a chain of command. She needed a break from decision making.

"I know we're on a mission but none of that right now." He sighed. "Not Tenzo. Right now I'm Yamato, concerned friend."

Sakura nodded, understanding. Despite his tough exterior he was a big softie. He was like this with all the younger members.

"Though I am considering putting you on leave for a while." Yamato added.

"Huh, why?" Sakura asked.

"You've been doing incredibly well, and I'm impressed with how quickly you adjusted to our pace of things," Yamato intoned, "but whenever you go out without the team, it seems you take more and more risks."

"Calculated, necessary risks." Sakura responded in mild protest but she felt a sheepish twinge because she knew he was right.

"Maybe so," her captain sighed, "but I think you need to take a step back and realize that it's time to stop trying to prove yourself. You're past the need for it." He said it so simply.

Sakura's chest tightened with gratitude and they enjoyed a comfortable silence. Finally Sakura remembered to ask. "Ah, did you bring my mask?"

Yamato grimaced, "Gomen. I actually didn't. I did grab one of your non-ANBU uniforms though, I found it in your locker at headquarters. Tsunade wants you to report back to the village instead of going all the way to Suna with us. I think she's worried about you."

Sakura rolled her eyes. Of course she was. Kakashi had probably made it sound way worse than it was. Though it had been pretty bad, she admitted grudgingly.

"I assumed she'd not want you returning in ANBU gear." Yamato explained, still apologetic.

"It's for the best," Sakura replied, shrugging, "now I have an excuse for Kitsune leaving."

At his bemused look of question, she explained how she'd hidden her identity from the Sand ninja.

"Ah," Yamato mused, "We should probably make a show of you returning that uniform then. She saw you in it just a moment ago." He gestured to what she was wearing.

"Probably." Sakura agreed, shrugging.

"Genma's dithering again." Yamato grunted after awhile. The air was beginning to cool as the sun sunk lower, twilight settling into the air.

"I'll go get him." She offered, a little too quickly.

He glanced at her curiously. "Don't take too long."

He went back inside and she walked in the Genma's direction. She was familiar enough with his chakra to sense him from this distance. She wasn't in any hurry to go back to that stuffy bunker.

She found him sitting on a tree branch. Without his mask he'd replaced the ever present senbon he held between his teeth.

"Hey." She said settling next to him.

"Hey." He responded quietly, without turning to look at her.

She swung her legs waiting for him to look at her. He didn't. She sighed eventually, giving in, "What are you thinking about?"

"When Kakashi said the Akatsuki were involved, so many scenarios went through my mind on the way here." Genma mumbled, finally looking at her. His chestnut eyes were flooded with concern. "But how you went about it was the last way I expected. So many things could have gone wrong."

"You know I'm fine right?" She admonished, only half-lying.

"Uh-huh." He snorted, giving her the look he always did when he called her on her shit. "You're tough, Petal. Hell, _I know_ , but you don't gotta be all the time."

Sakura was silent. "I don't know how else to be," she said eventually, "I decided a long time ago that I was tired of being the weak one." She tensed as his fingers trailed to the hidden bite marks on her shoulder.

"I can smell it from here." He muttered unhappily, the senbon bouncing as he spoke.

Sakura humphed and hopped down from the tree. She hadn't come out here to be reminded of that right now.

She heard him sigh in defeat as he followed her. "Wait." He called.

She kept walking.

"I said wait, damn it." He sniped irritatedly, he caught her arm and pulled, trying to get her to stop.

Sakura turned and handily snatched the senbon from his mouth, and tugged the older man's shirt collar until his lips met hers.

Genma grunted in surprise but melted into the familiar embrace. After a minute she trailed her tongue across his lips to persuade him to let her in, but he pulled away.

"Sakura…" He sighed half-heartedly, pulling back and rubbing his neck as he hesitated.

She understood his reluctance.

They'd screwed around a lot in the past year. It had just… happened. It started during one of her first few seduction missions. Genma had been her escort for a particularly difficult one, just in case something went awry. Which of course it had. Tensions reached a boiling point.

Their relationship wasn't anything serious. They'd established a long time ago that they weren't looking to become a couple, but to simply enjoy the carnal pleasure of each other's company every now and then. The pair had interesting chemistry. In spite of their age gap the two were at complete ease with another. They pissed each other off usually, he was like a male version of Ino to Sakura, but it worked for them. Too well sometimes. But when it came down to it, they were comrades and really good friends, even if their friendship thrived on insults and dirty jokes.

And right now he was struggling with the feeling that it was too vulnerable of a moment for something like this. He didn't want her to feel taken advantage of.

She snubbed his nose. "Don't get soft on me now, needle muncher."

He rolled his eyes, but relaxed. "So all this is why you never let me take your shirt off, huh?" He joked. "All this time I thought you were just body shy."

"Must have been confusing for you." She teased him back, glad to see him switching back to his usual self.

"You were always so _forward._ It didn't make sense." He hummed as she played with his hair.

"Are you sure about this?" He leaned closer, nuzzling forward to kiss under her throat. He knew the answer, he just needed her to say it.

"Yeah. I just... need a friend." She whispered, shivering at his touch. "Help me forget."

She felt his sly grin against her skin. His voice dropped huskily, making her body flare with anticipation. "Sure thing, Petal. I can take the shirt off now, right?"

~•~•~•~•~

Kakashi pried open the hospital window and jumped to the ground. He stuck his hands in his pockets and leisurely headed in the direction of the administration building.

He had woken feeling rested but almost immediately found himself restless and annoyed. Tsunade stood at his bedside with her commanding presence dialed all the way up the moment he tried to leave. She knew he hated hospitals. That damn woman had kept him out for nearly _three days_ , and Sakura still wasn't back yet. The Sannin had gone on and on about how she was fed up with him running himself ragged for no good reason, or something like that. He'd tuned out most of it until she delivered the final low blow.

She had put him under 'medical supervision', which was just a fancy way of saying he was grounded. No assignments and no leaving the village.

He stifled a groan, unwilling to bare his frustration to the public. He nodded and smiled each time someone said hello, keeping his face untroubled. No matter how long he'd been gone, it seemed his popularity never waned.

Tsunade had given him _some_ answers, just like Sakura had promised, but he sensed there was more that had gone unsaid. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this frustrated by refusal of information. He may be one of the best, but he was still just a soldier, a weapon, and that had always been fine for him. If it had been about anyone else he might have dropped it already, and that concerned him. He'd thought he was passed this by now.

Yet here he was, on his way to go digging for answers himself. Maybe that would help him settle this feeling, and then he could get past it.

He wondered idly if Iruka knew anything more. His friend had definitely shied away from him when he'd called Sakura a chunin. Kakashi experienced a surge of warmth for his friend's loyalty. He'd have to try questioning him later now that he knew what he did.

He took a deep breath and put up his usual detached expression before stepping inside and approaching the resource desk.

Izumo glanced up at him curiously from his paperwork. "Afternoon Kakashi-san, can I help you with something?" He asked.

"Maa, I hope so, but since when do you work the desk, Izumo?"

The brown haired shinobi chuckled sheepishly. "A little under a year. A minor punishment really, for misconduct."

"Misconduct, you?" Kakashi asked, genuinely surprised. Izumo had always been one of the more responsible shinobi on the barrier team. He had a hard time imagining the younger shinobi doing anything that would get him chained to a desk for a year.

Izumo waved him off. "Just an argument that got out of hand at the wrong time. It wasn't a big deal."

"Hmm."

Kakashi eyed him, but let it go. He was beginning to wonder just how much the village had changed in his absence. He changed tact, asking about something a little less personal, "Hows Kotetsu these days?"

A shadow passed through Izumo's eyes but he smiled cheerfully. "I haven't been keeping up with him much these days, he's gotten busier since promoting rank. But anyways, what brought you here Kakashi, surely you're not just looking to pass time with my ugly mug."

Kakashi had noticed his eyes darken, and the topic deflection didn't escape him either. It seemed like the inseparable pair had separated. _More changes..._

He had seen Hagane's name on the jounin candidate list last year, a little odd at his age considering most chunin over 25 usually settled with their lot, but Kakashi assumed that Tsunade must be trying to bolster their numbers. Nineteen years after the 3rd Shinobi war and the Leaf was still struggling to maintain decent elite numbers. He hadn't bothered to follow up on either candidate list and had simply focused on his never-ending onslaught of missions. It seemed that the veteran chunin had succeeded, which was impressive enough.

"You got me, I'm actually looking to catch up on the state of things around here." Kakashi said nonchalantly, "I wanted to read the reports of all the missions my former students have taken for the past couple of years, to measure their progress and get an idea of what I missed."

Izumo gave him an apologetic look. "Naruto and Sasuke haven't been taking any missions, we've not heard from them in quite some time," his voice automatically dropped to a whisper, "and Sai is in ANBU now isn't he? I don't think I have the clearance to hand out those reports."

"Hmm. What about Sakura?" Kakashi asked innocently. "I heard from Iruka that she's been doing rather well lately."

"She has. She's been handing in a lot of reports, though I'm usually not here when she drops them off." Izumo brightened, happy to be of use. He got up from the desk, moving towards the filing area. "Let me see what I can dig up."

Without anything to do as he waited he pulled out his worn copy of _Icha Icha Tactics_ and leaned against a wall, opening to the last page he'd been on. It was almost therapeutic to immerse himself in the familiar story. Honestly, he could recite the whole series word for word but he enjoyed the mundane process of turning each page to watch it unfold before his eyes.

He was more at peace when Izumo returned with a hefty stack of folders. "I had to make a few copies, some of the newer ones haven't been processed yet." He puffed as he placed the substantial load on the desk.

Kakashi thanked him and returned to his apartment, loaded down with the mission reports. He entered through his balcony, dropping the folders on the kitchen counter.

He glanced around. He'd been here for the first time in months just before his last mission, but hadn't bothered to tidy up then, and now everything was suspiciously clean. He'd opted to sleep at the standby station for his last few missions, not feeling like dealing with the dust.

He checked all his traps and found them intact. Whoever it was had been here before so he dropped it. There was a small list of people who were capable of breaking into his apartment and he trusted them all implicitly. It was probably Anko or Kurenai anyways. They were always trying to check up on him.

Kakashi made his way towards his room, shedding his shirt in preparation for a shower. He tossed it into his hamper next to his dresser.

He paused at his dresser staring at his two parallel photos. His own team with his sensei, and his team as a sensei. Both brought him mixed feelings of fondness and regret. He picked up the latter, staring at the pink haired girl in the center. He was trying to reconcile the two images, this smiling cheerfully innocent girl with the woman he'd just been on a mission with.

The two were worlds apart.

He placed the photo back down carefully. He shook his head, running his hands through his silver hair and grabbed a towel.

Kakashi made himself stay under the hot stream for ten minutes longer than he needed, trying to force himself to relax. The water made his hair fall flat so he combed it back with his fingers to keep it out of his eyes. He tilted his head back and let the water cascade down his neck and chest. The hot water was soothing and his muscles finally loosened. He stayed like that for a short while longer, then reached out and turned the nozzle to shut off the water.

Stepping out of the shower, he secured a towel around his waist, and ran a smaller towel over his hair. He dropped into his bathroom routine, brushing his teeth, combing his hair, and shaving the silver stubble that had been irritating the skin under his mask since he woke up.

His fingers ran over the scar on his face absentmindedly as he appraised himself in the mirror, making sure he hadn't missed any patches. His eyes hardened as he met his own gaze and he turned away from the mirror.

He went back to his room and threw on a pair of navy blue sweats and grabbed his black undershirt with an attached mask, throwing it over his shoulder as he made his way back into the kitchen. He fastened his headband over his left eye for comfort. The material also helped keep his still damp hair from dropping onto his forehead.

He should start some coffee, he had a lot of reading ahead of him. Probably find something to eat as well, though he hadn't gone grocery shopping in a long time.

While the coffee maker was hissing and sputtering he opened the fridge to see what he could salvage and throw together. He was surprised to find it well-stocked. A package of leftovers sat front-and-center with a note stuck to it. He pulled that out and found it was his favorite, miso soup with eggplant.

He stuck that in the microwave and poured himself a cup of coffee. Sipping it slowly, Kakashi read the note, the microwave humming gently in the background.

_Take better care of yourself or start paying me as your maid. ~Kurenai_

He chuckled and placed the note on the counter. He realized she was nearing the end of her pregnancy soon, and must be suffering from mother-hen syndrome. She was probably desperate for a project.

 _And she thought of me, sounds about right._ He scoffed to himself.

Kakashi ate quickly, not pulling on his shirt until he finished. It was much more comfortable for him to eat in his own home without the prying eyes he always felt on him.

After he put the dish in the sink he put the shirt on, the stretchy material smooth against his skin. He didn't pull up the mask yet letting it bunch around his neck instead. He began pouring himself another cup of coffee and then grabbed the stack of folders as he made his way to the living room.

His style of living was rather modest. Kakashi didn't see the point in owning a bunch of stuff if he wouldn't be sitting around long enough to enjoy it. His living room consisted of one small black couch, a coffee table, and a single bookshelf that contained his small library of the _Icha Icha_ series. There were a couple other books and items on it as well, gifts from friends, that he stored there to appease them. Every now and then he'd have to suffer through the social nightmare of the other jounin invading his apartment for their drinking parties, and the last time they were over he'd been given hell for having tossed a gift in a random corner and forgotten about it.

He sat down on the couch and went to work, starting in on the B-ranks. The first couple dozen were about what he expected. Recon, medical support, protective details, and the occasional assassination. Kakashi was reading them by date, and with a pang he noticed that with all these missions she was only team hopping. She'd worked mostly between the Ino-Shika-Cho squad, Guy's students, and with Kurenai's team, but he saw that she'd also been assigned temporarily to squads in the generations older than her. As he kept rifling through the reports it became clear that she never officially joined a new team.

He sighed sadly. She must have felt totally abandoned. He tried hard once more to squash the regret for not maintaining some kind of contact with her. The whole _point_ to his leave had been to create the distance he'd needed.

He set aside the B-rank folders and reached for the stack of A-rank reports. He was optimistic that he'd find more answers here. A-ranks were assigned mostly to jounin, and that was the side of her that Kakashi wanted to learn about.

Stiff fingers rubbed his exposed eye. His eye was getting tired. It had taken a couple hours for him to read through the first barrage of reports. Kakashi stood up to take a break, finally slipping the attached mask up over this face so he could comfortably step out onto the balcony.

Cool air rushed across his face, instantly making him feel a little more alert. The sun was going down now. His apartment wasn't very far from the merchant streets so he could hear the lively bustle of people as they went about making their final purchases for the day.

It was a calm evening, and Kakashi mirrored that calm now despite still craving his answers. It had been a long time since he'd just stopped to appreciate his village. It truly was his home. It was this peace, the happy voices drifting towards him from the streets below, that he always worked so hard for. What he would continue working hard for.

Feeling refreshed he went back in and started reading again, lounging back a bit more comfortably now. He set aside another protective detail report and opened the next one.

He scanned the first couple of lines and frowned. _Wait, this is a..._

Kakashi sat up quickly, reading more intently. At a certain point he had to put it down, blushing madly, and got up to begin pacing.

It was more than he'd bargained for, and thanks to _Icha Icha_ he could only picture it _all too well_. Kakashi tried shoving the lewd imaginings from his head, his mind conjuring up swirling images of pink hair and green eyes hooded with desire, soft moans and glistening bodies, but failed miserably.

Kakashi hadn't considered that she'd start taking seduction missions. Not once had it crossed his mind. He'd always considered her to be rather pure and to find out so suddenly that she wasn't...

He was embarrassed by the way his body was reacting to such thoughts. His skin was crawling with heat and he felt the stirrings of jealousy deep in his chest. An obvious truth was getting harder and harder to ignore.

The distance he'd tried to create had been in utter vain.

Kakashi had begun to notice two years ago that he was feeling drawn to her, and he'd been disgusted with himself. She had been fifteen, _thirteen years_ _his junior_ , and not to mention his student. She might've been considered an adult but it still hadn't sat well with him. It hadn't started with physical attraction, that had come later along with a whole new flood of self-contempt. It had started with her sunshine smiles, her fierce determination, her desire to improve herself, her love for her teammates and her unshakable will to protect them. He had always found it admirable. Then one day he'd discovered that his admiration had become deeper without realizing. It had turned into affection, maybe even… No, he couldn't think that word. It was too much.

It was the day that Sasuke and Naruto had left.

He'd been expecting tears. She had always been a little prone to crying, which he'd never minded. Truth be told, he'd always slightly envied how free she was with her emotions. To Kakashi that took a certain kind of bravery that he'd long since forsaken. As their two team members had walked away, their backsides blending into distance, he'd turned to her in case she needed comforting, but instead of tears in her eyes he'd seen a burning fire in their place.

_"They're leaving me behind now, but they'll never leave me behind again."_

Sakura had stated it quietly, with absolute resolve. Kakashi didn't even know if she had intended for him to hear it. It was that moment when he realized he no longer saw her as a child, and it frightened him.

She shone so brightly in comparison to him. Frankly, he was battle hardened and jaded, and his darkness did not deserve her kind of light.

For her sake, he'd turned in his resignation as her team leader that very day, and requested to be returned to full service. He refused to drag her into his darkness, so in order to forget his growing feelings he'd dived headlong into his service to the village.

And now it was two years later and he still found himself plagued by this… attraction wasn't the right word for it, even though it played a part in it. He _longed_ for her, her warmth and happiness. 

He took a deep breath trying to calm himself. He flipped through the rest of the reports. Twenty-seven. She'd completed _twenty-seven_ seduction missions. And nineteen of them had been assassinations… Which meant…

Kakashi chucked the folder at the wall with a groan. "Damn it!" He rubbed his temples.

There was a knock at his door and he ignored it at first, figuring they would give up eventually. They didn't, and Kakashi soon recognized the insistent knocking pattern.

He got up with a sigh, knowing they wouldn't leave unless he opened the door.

"What?" He snapped, opening the door to see a familiar front-tied bandana.

Genma grinned, unabashed. He took in his junior's flushed skin and teased him suggestively. "Hmm. Did I interrupt a reading sesh?"

"No." Kakashi denied curtly, his insinuation too close to hitting the mark.

The senbon chewing shinobi ducked under his arm and scooted into his apartment before Kakashi could stop him. Shiranui Genma was definitely one of his closer, yet more forward friends.

"Then you're not busy?" Genma leaned against his kitchen counter.

"What are you doing here?" Kakashi ignored his question. He'd gotten a strong whiff of his friend's scent as he'd passed by and it was mixed with a sweeter one. He narrowed his eyes.

"I'm here to collect you." Genma wiggled his eyebrows at him. "I just got back from escorting Sakura-chan home. A-rank mission, you know the rules. We're all hitting the bar tonight."

Kakashi just looked at him. The sweet scent smelled like Sakura but it also didn't. It was spicier, musky.

"Was Sakura injured when you brought her back, did she have to be carried?" He asked sharply.

His sudden question caused his friend to look at him like he'd sprouted wings. "Minor wounds, and she ran on her own…? You okay?" Genma asked, his eyebrows crumpling with concern.

Kakashi stilled. He was getting worked up again. He didn't like the way her scent practically covered him. He applied his social mask before responding smoothly, "I'm fine. You said minor wounds? Does that mean she encountered trouble?"

Genma's eyes grew flinty and Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, apparently she got into a skirmish with one of the Akatsuki before we reached her. Luckily, she got away with minor wounds. She's alright."

Kakashi's eyes widened but that was all the emotion he let cross his face. Inwardly he was growling. He knew it, he should have stayed. She could have died. He now knew she was a jonin, and obviously she was capable if she escaped the Akatsuki with only minor wounds, but mere thought of it brought him so much anxiety. He missed Genma's next question, who repeated it for him with the senbon shifting to the other side of his mouth.

"So, you coming or do I have to send Guy to drag you out of this hole?"

For once he didn't think he minded the jounin tradition. After the last few days, hell the last few minutes, Kakashi could use a drink.

"Let me change first." He relented.

A boyish grin quickly overtook the tanned face, and he chuckled mischievously. "Don't take long, they've already started so they're expecting you to play catch up."

Kakashi headed back to his room, and changed from sweatpants into something a little more public acceptable. He decided to just stay with his undershirt. His friends always chose the corners of bars and things always heated up as they crammed eight or so of themselves into a small booth.

He came back out to find Genma sitting in his living room, senbon bouncing as he grinded his teeth. He shifted guiltily and dropped one of the files back onto the coffee table as he became aware of Kakashi's presence. "Are you _reading_ these?" Genma asked incredulously, eyes wide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1).The Akatsuki is obviously a present force in this AU, but its still more what it was before Shippuden, a mercenary group of rogue-nin that thrives on war and unrest. They aren't going around collecting tailed beasts.
> 
> 2.) The Uchiha massacre has obviously still happened and Itachi is considered a rogue-nin, the Clan Killer from Konoha. For any of you thinking it, you are absolutely correct: Itachi most definitely wouldn't have allowed Kisame to have done anything serious to Sakura. He of course recognizes her as the one who tried to pull his beloved brother into the light. He did, however, want to give her the chance to seize her own victory without his interference. 
> 
> 3) I did age up Matsuri. There weren't many female sand shinobi to pick from, and with Shikamaru in this fic, I have other plans for Temari. In the show, Matsuri is about 16-17, but here she's around 21, and she specializes in reconnaissance as one of Gaara's (her bae) personal spies.
> 
> 4) Its in the tags but I wanted to touch base and emphasize that this is a free-form world. The nature of their lifestyle matures their minds and bodies more quickly than the world we live in. If they are trained to kill at younger ages, they're certainly free to do how they please. In a more survivalist world like this, there's nothing pedophilic about it. I understand this a touchy subject so I just needed to make sure it was said. 
> 
> 4A) So in my fic, the taboo of relationships like the one Genma and Sakura are currently in is based more on the age gap (not their ages alone) therefore the meat of the gossip is just the gap in social circles.  
> 4B) And the angst from Kakashi's POV was that he was her teacher at the time, which was considered unprofessional. He's called her a child in his mind every now and then, but that's only because he is still traumatized by his own past and didn't want her to have to grow up fast like he did. He wanted her to remain carefree for as long as she could.  
> •~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
> 
> Anyways, I hope that covers all the touchy issues that some might struggle with! As always thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it :)
> 
> All comments and kudos are appreciated, as I have (very late) discovered that people without accounts don't contribute to the hit count on stories 😅😭


	6. Flashback

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a little shorter, it wasnt the original chapter I'd planned on posting but hey! Everyone loves flashbacks ;P
> 
> Honestly, I think i just need a couple days to get the next chapter in order (as well as give my artist a comfortable amount of time to finish my commission). Next chapter is a bit dialogue heavy and suuuper plot important so I want to make sure it's done well and correctly. So this chapter is just a little buffer for me because I promised to post each week and I really want to stand by that :) (Definitely have *not* been typing for the last three hours, no sir 😅)
> 
> I think you guys will enjoy this one though, it gives you all a little more insight on what Sakura has been through.
> 
> @hatanaka_shiori on both IG and Tumblr. (Tumblr is a hyphen instead of underscore)  
> Again, I'm not much of a poster so don't worry about following. I mainly use them for scroll platforms but I honestly love hearing from readers. Thanks to those who have already chatted me up, your words are inspiration!!  
> \------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 year & 10 months ago 

Sakura swallowed another chakra pill, knowing she was pushing dangerous limits but what else was she supposed to do? Her fingers shook as she reached her chakra scalpel into the nameless shinobi on the ground in front of her. There were explosions everywhere and amid each one she could hear sounds of clashing metal and screams.

The man in front of her drew shallow, ragged breaths. His body heaved as he coughed, blood staining his lips. His lung was pierced and collapsing. "Please…" He cracked out, his eyes were locked on hers with unfiltered terror.

Sakura stared into those eyes, trying not to show her helplessness. Besides his lung, which housed several pieces of his shattered rib cage, he had several deep gashes to his stomach and shoulder, and there was a bone protruding from his twisted calf. His body shook, wracked with fever as it tried to function under so much pain. It was a miracle that he hadn't gone into shock, that he could even speak. She was a good medic but there was too much damage. There were more people who needed her.

Tsunade had tried to warn her during the briefing that she couldn't save everyone, that she would need to make hard decisions to conserve her chakra and energy. Sakura had listened and nodded along, but there was no way she could have known it would mean _this_.

So this was war.

The Sand had requested for a unit of medic-nin from the Leaf after their own medic teams had been ambushed and wiped out. Tsunade had sent three squads, with herself and Shizune at the head. Now after running a day straight she was in the middle of a battlefield trying to do her job. Her muscles were screaming and her chakra reserves had been low for hours now. She was subsisting on chakra enhancement pills alone. There were just so many wounded. She'd had to fight too, just to make her way through to the sand shinobi. She'd lost two members of her own squad in the fray.

Sakura took a deep breath, withdrawing into herself so she could do what she needed to do. Her hands steadied and she moved her hands to his head and put him into a deep sleep. He would slip away painlessly now, there was nothing more she could do for him.

She stood and stumbled over to a kunoichi on the ground with a heavily bleeding stomach wound; a sword had torn through her spleen. Sakura picked her up and sprinted to the rear of the sand shinobi troops and began working on it. Her chakra stitching was a little choppy with such little energy, but she would live. That was what was important.

She looked around. Five other Leaf medics were hovered over the wounded, looking as exhausted as she felt. Suddenly a dozen kunai with bomb tags landed amongst them and Sakura's eyes widened, there wasn't even enough time to call out-

She leapt to the side, avoiding the explosion but the force of it threw her into a rock and everything went black.

**•~•**

Sakura woke to steady slaps on her cheeks, black eyes peering at her worriedly. It was ominously silent now compared to what she last remembered.

She shot up. "Shizune?" She croaked. A water bottle was pressed into her hands.

"The rain shinobi retreated about an hour ago. We need you to get up." Her eyes were sympathetic but her tone was firm. "I know you're tired but we need all the help we can get."

The next couple of days were an exhausting blur of broken bones, bloody bandages, and many, too many, deaths. Sakura had stopped counting patients after a hundred too worn out to do anything but focus on what her hands were doing.

They were finally dismissed, leaving with less than half the number they'd come with.

"Lord Gaara sends his gratitude."

"I do not speak for the Hokage," Shizune had said, "but I warn you that after this she will no longer want to be involved in this war of yours. She will send word after we've returned home."

When they returned home Tsunade was furious by their losses. They'd barely had a sustainable medic unit themselves before this. She sent both the two warring nations official withdrawal notices stating they would have no part in their feud and that if any fighting crossed into the Land of Fire, may Kami help them.

Sakura was barely on her feet as she reported to the Hokage along with the others. The return trip had been slower but everyone was so exhausted that even a leisurely pace had been difficult to maintain.

"You're all dismissed. Sakura, stay." Tsunade barked.

"Hai, shisou." Sakura bowed wearily after the other medic-nin departed.

Her mentor stood up from the desk and guided her to a small couch on the other side of the office. The sannin's face was unusually gentle.

"Take a seat. We have to talk."

Her blood went cold. She was well acquainted with that tone. The one that attempted to soften gut-wrenching bad news. The one that followed death like a bitter aftertaste.

"What happened?" Sakura's mouth was dry. Who was it? Ino? Naruto or Sasuke? Team 8? Guy's team? She trembled, not sure how to handle a loss right now. The horrors of bloody death after death were still fresh in her mind, now paired with the faces of her friends. She clenched her eyes shut against the image of Ino's mangled body.

Tsunade placed both hands on her shoulders, ready to embrace or restrain if need be. "Yesterday afternoon we discovered your mother's body alongside two other dead civilians. It looked to be the work of shinobi, though we haven't been able to determine who. Their carts were ransacked, so it appears to have been bandits or-"

Sakura felt as if she were displaced between two different pressure forces. Being shoved up and down, stuck between unable to breath or move. She could barely think. _Mom… gone? No. No. It can't be true. No._ She was vaguely aware of Tsunade speaking, shaking her firmly, calling for someone to take her somewhere when she didn't respond.

It was her fault. She was supposed to take that trip with Mother, but she'd taken the mission assignment instead. Her fault. She should have been there. She could have done some-

 _Done what_? Sakura thought, numb. What could she have done? Face after face, all the lifeless gazes of each shinobi she'd failed to save, that she'd killed through her ineptitude, on that battlefield seemed to bore into her soul. She was useless. She probably would have killed her mother too.

A needle punctured her arm and then she was floating in a gentle glaring white, not sure who she was and not a care in the world. She could feel people moving around her, hear voices murmuring in low voices. They sounded sad and concerned but she didn't know why. This white place was so peaceful, what could there be to worry about? She drifted off to sleep peacefully.

When she woke she was in her own bed at home, sun shining through the window brightly. She took in the familiar sight of her dresser, her pink walls. Her hands trailed over the yellow and white comforter that was pulled over her chest. Sakura sat up slowly.

She could hear movement downstairs and low voices. She got up and got dressed robotically, and headed downstairs. Her father sat alone at the kitchen table. Whoever had been here a moment ago must have left.

When her father noticed her, he got up immediately and crushed her in a hug. She returned it but inside she was still empty.

"Come here." He led her to the table and sat her down, then placed some soup in front of her. She stared at it, unable to imagine eating anything.

"We held your mother's funeral yesterday. We tried waiting for you, but you were asleep for several days and we couldn't wait any longer. I'll take you to see her later after you've eaten." Her father said gently.

 _Days_? Sakura thought blearily. It couldn't have been days could it?

Kizashi pushed a few documents towards her and pen. "We also need to get these signed, just a few things to get in order before your training starts."

 _Training? What training?_ Her head was starting to pound. She obediently picked up the pen but paused as she read the headers of the forms.

**Transfer of Inheritance.**

**Succession Acceptance.**

Her eyes lingered over the last one.

 **Shinobi Resignation**.

Resignation? She wasn't doing that.

"What is this?" She asked in monotone. "I'm not resigning from the shinobi forces."

Kizashi looks up in surprise. "With your mother's passing it is expected that you take her place at the merchant court. I can't take both positions. The task would be too time consuming for you to continue as a shinobi."

The Haruno's ran a large part of Konoha's trade. Mainly produce and livestock. Her clan practically fed the village. Mother had been in charge of accounting and balancing, making sure prices and portions met demands. It was a bunch of economical drivel that Sakura had always intended on avoiding. It's not that she didn't recognize its importance, she just had no interest. She'd always wanted to be a shinobi.

"I don't want to be a part of the merchant court." Sakura said firmly, some emotion coming back into her features.

Her father's eyes hardened. "Sakura. I had expected you to drop this silly dream of yours long ago. You would have begun your training anyways at 18 as tradition states. Your mother and I were fine to let you play ninja until then but things have changed. You're needed now."

Sakura stared at him, eyes wide, as she tried to process his words. Then anger began to bubble in her stomach. 'Play ninja'? That's what he thought she'd been doing this whole time, like it was just a simple hobby?

Had any of his pride been real? She thought to one of the photos on her nightstand. Mother and Father smiling behind her as she held her chunin certification. She'd always wondered if her simple civilian parents had ever understood the gravity of her choices, her accomplishments. With the way her father was looking at her now, it was clear that he at least didn't.

She'd witnessed death, she'd _killed_. Did he not grasp that? She'd felt the joys, the pain, the comradery, the excitement of fighting, the satisfaction of protecting lives and fighting for her home… How did he not understand how important that was, how fulfilling it was, to her?

She stood up quickly and ripped the forms into pieces. "I am a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, and I will honor that commitment before any others." She said unwaveringly.

Kizashi stared at her incredulously and there was silence between them for a long minute. Then her father's face nearly purpled in rage and even Sakura took a step back. She'd never seen him look like that before.

"You are either a shinobi or you are a Haruno. You can't be both!" He thundered at her, slamming a fist on the table.

She faltered. Did he really mean that? Would he really mean to make her choose? His eyes hadn't left hers, waiting for her response. Apparently that was exactly his intention.

She felt a tingle of remorse, but she knew what her choice was. She couldn't turn her back on everything she was. All the discoveries she'd made about herself since joining the academy… she knew she was meant for this life. It was her duty to protect this village and she would not balk or cower from that just because of this. All the shinobi she'd failed on her last mission would be her reminder, her motivation, that she had to persevere and become better. She couldn't allow such failure ever again. Sasuke, Naruto, even Kakashi-sensei… they'd left because she wasn't strong enough to hold them together. They didn't see the potential in her, but that didn't matter. She'd prove them all wrong. Her training with Tsunade was a testament to that. She'd show them all.

"I am a shinobi." Sakura said again, with no room for doubt.

The look of sheer contempt on Father's face made something shrivel inside of her. He stalked towards her, spun her around and ripped the Haruno seal off the back of the red qipao she wore, revealing the skin on her back.

"Then you aren't a Haruno." He growled. He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her towards the front door. She could have fought him but didn't. He threw her outside and she stumbled and fell. Some people passing by paused curiously to watch.

"As long as you remain a shinobi you have no place among the Haruno clan. Don't come back here." Kizashi slammed the door behind him.

Sakura could hear the people behind her muttering among themselves as she stood up shakily. This would be all over the village in a matter of hours. She set a quick pace, holding her composure, taking to the rooftops and made her way to the training grounds. She settled for the 26th training grounds. A deep forest, away from everyone. Only after traveling several kilometers into the forest did she stop, breathing heavily. There was a small stream to her left and a large mossy boulder. She settled against it and took a deep breath, her lips quivering.

She let the trees swallow her sobs as she finally let loose. This would be the last time she ever allowed something like this. Her emotions would never better her again. She cried for her failures, for the dead sand shinobi, for herself, for the sheer stress of everything. She cried for her mother, still unable to process that she was _gone_. She would have to find her grave so she could say goodbye.

It was a couple hours before she quieted, her tears now silently streaming down her face. She felt weak, she should have eaten that soup when she had the chance. She honestly had no idea how long it had been since she'd eaten anything. Knowing medical procedure she'd most likely been on an IV diet, but that didn't exactly fill one's stomach.

She didn't move from her spot, watching the shadows of the trees lengthen as the hours passed by. She could feel her muscles stiffening in protest but still didn't move. What should she do now? She didn't have much money saved, she doubted she could afford an apartment. Sakura considered asking Ino, but shook off the idea. She didn't want to be an inconvenience. Maybe Tsunade could give her a loan. Sakura would pay her back.

Her eyes drifted closed, completely exhausted. Tonight she'd just sleep out here. She'd figure something out in the morning.

**•~•**

Something wet snuffled against her cheek, waking her instantly. Hazily, she reached for her kunai pouch only to remember she didn't have it. Her limbs weren't moving as quickly as she'd like and she struggled to open her eyes; she was more worn out than she'd realized. She was also shivering, it had gotten colder.

Something warm and soft, and _heavy_ , crawled into her lap with a loud bark. She leaned into the warmth without thinking too much about it.

"Shikamaru, over here!"

A voice called out. She knew that voice. Kiba? That must mean… her eyes cracked open and she saw a familiar shaggy white coat.

Akamaru whined softly, nuzzling her cheek again. Kiba hovered over them both with a worried expression. "Sakura, are you okay? Can you hear me?" He asked with his usual angry-worried voice.

She tried to let him know she was fine but her voice struggled after being silent for so long after such throat ripping sobs. She just nodded instead but the ninken user didn't look any less worried. Sakura laid her head on Akamaru's soft fur and closed her eyes.

"Is she okay?" Shikamaru's voice joined them as he silently jumped down from the trees. It sounded strangely emotive.

"I can't tell, she doesn't seem to be able to say anything." They were silent for a moment.

Shikamaru finally spoke. "We at least need to get her back into the village."

"Where though? I can't take her to Inuzuka compound without permission from Ma… and if she's really been expelled, that could cause big issues for us. The Haruno's control the livestock, what if they take offense? They might block us from their trade, and honestly... we need it. Ninken eat a lot you know." Kiba explained apprehensively.

"Kami, I hate all this political crap. Such a drag." Shikamaru groaned.

Sakura heard one of them step closer and was distantly aware of being pulled up. She felt Shikamaru's spikey ponytail brush her face before he helped her settle her cheek on his shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open and she was met with his black eyes, which were uncharacteristically concerned as he peeked sideways at her.

She began drifting off, comforted by the familiar presence of her two friends. She could barely hear them talking as they began hopping through the trees towards the village.

"My old man will take her in. I'd love to see some civvie clan try to stop him." Shikamaru said.

"Your dad would really do that?"

Shikamaru's hands gripped her tightly, readjusting her so that she was more securely draped around him. The last thing she heard before she caved to sleep was the shadow user's terse response.

"I'd love to see my old man try to stop _me_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who loves Shikamaru? 👉👈  
> Clearly me haha 😇🥰
> 
> Edit: oh yeah that war between the sand and rain? That's been going on for a couple years... I forgot to mention


	7. Dangerous Drinks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here it is. Told ya you would have to wait long. Just needed to put some finishing details in there :3
> 
> The commission is finished!!! Special thanks to @random.doodles37 from IG (they're on tiktok too) They were a f***ing delight to work with honestly and they have my unending thanks and adoration for bringing a piece of my story to life. Get reading if you'd like to see it ;D and feel free to praise it in the comments, I'll make sure it gets back them!!
> 
> Small Genma POV mixed in there this time😋
> 
> Oh and I heard a new (to me) term today from this site... beta'd? Could anyone explain it to me? From what i can tell it sounds like a beta'd chapter is one that another user looks at and edits for you. Am i close??
> 
> (Its almost 5am in Chicago.... man i should be asleep.)
> 
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

Kakashi downed another cup of sake and his friends cheered. The familiar burn was pleasant as it slid from his throat to low in his belly. He held his liquor well, not in danger of getting tipsy yet, but was floating around a comfortable buzz.

Guy, Anko, Asuma, Raidou, Iwashi, Genma and himself were crammed into the back corner booth of their favorite bar like he'd predicted. According to Raidou, Yamato and Kotetsu were still in the field so they wouldn't be joining tonight, though he had also hinted at another party outing when they returned, which everyone immediately agreed to.

As always, Kakashi held the seat to the outside. He didn't like being squished in between two people and years of experience had him always subconsciously place himself where he could make a swift exit if need be.

At first they were all shocked by his willingness to participate. Normally he'd come and have a few sips, and excuse himself at the first possible moment, but right now he was a bottle deep and all his friends couldn't be more thrilled.

Except one.

Even in the midst of the jovial atmosphere he could still feel Genma's eyes occasionally flitting to his face and away again.

There had been an unspoken agreement between them to drop their earlier conversation, but the both of them clearly couldn't get it out of their heads, though Kakashi was being more subtle than the sandy haired shinobi.

•~•

_"Are you **reading** these?" Genma asked, eyes wide. _

_Kakashi bristled at the accusatory tone. Sakura's scent was bringing out a feeling he wasn't sure he recognized. "No-" -A disbelieving snort escapes Genma- "I mean yes, obviously, but **no**. Not like you're thinking." The silver haired shinobi says firmly._

_"Then, seriously, what the hell man?" Came the hard edged response._

_He struggled between the desire of defending himself and telling his friend to shove it because he didn't owe him a damn explanation. Kakashi compromised with himself, at least he tried to._

_"You're reading too much into it." Kakashi said through gritted teeth._

_"Oh, **I'm** reading too much into it?" Genma drawled sarcastically, amid an unamused laugh, waving the file in front of his face._

_Kakashi's nostrils flared, not that Genma could see, with thinly veiled irritation at that quip._

•~•

The silver haired man almost choked as Sakura appeared next to their table (literally) out of nowhere right as he took another drink.

She looked field ready, in standard chunin gear. She wore a black half sleeve cotton shirt under the issued flak jacket, and a pair of dark blue shorts over black leggings. Kakashi noticed that she'd forsaken her red headband for the Leaf's signature blue, and he thought it suited her. He noticed, much to his consternation, that she looked really good tonight.

Kakashi had never quite understood her draw to the color red. He thought that it didn't really suit her natural hair color. Her rosette hair was loosely braided right now with her usual bangs still framing her face. He sometimes wondered if the red obsession had come from her obsession with Sasuke, wanting to match the red of the Uchiha sharingan. He was glad she finally seemed to have outgrown it.

It was safe to say Kakashi was more than a little surprised when she scooted Genma over with her hip and joined them at the table, sitting across from himself. A quick scan of the group told him that this was normal because they all greeted her cheerily. Even Anko called out to her like they were best friends, the older kunoichi probably being the tipsiest of the bunch leaning over a chortling Iwashi's lap to try reaching for the girl. "Sakuraaaa! You made it!"

Their familiarity confused him but he didn't let it show. Instead he simply lifted two fingers in a casual greeting, and she nodded to him in return. Kakashi tried to ignore how her eyes flashed with interest, because he knew in his current state he might interpret it wrong. She was probably just as surprised to find him socializing… If Sakura was still recognized as just a chunin by the public then he couldn't make sense of her joining them at the bar. He'd always known this to be a jounin only tradition. Kakashi suddenly wondered if anyone else at the table knew. He'd have to talk to Tsunade again. Not knowing how to act was killing him.

Sakura came bearing gifts, three bottles of sake straight from the Godaime's liquor cabinet. There were some whoops as everyone made sounds of either appreciation or awe at her daring. Guy gave a cheer about the bravery of youth, pretty buzzed himself. Sakura snorted at Anko's call and placed one of the bottles into the older kunoichi's hand who in turn sat back with an expectant smile.

"Oh Saaakura," She cooed, gesturing to one of the other bottles, "you're late. Get on our level."

Kakashi watched, almost alarmed, as Sakura picked up the bottle and began drinking straight from it. He shouldn't be surprised considering Tsunade was her mentor.

 _Oh what sweet hell is this._ He sent a desperate plea to Kami as he saw her throat bob, taking half the bottle in one long drought. He poured another cup and drank it hastily, trying to distract himself.

Kakashi shifted under Genma's knowing stare. He tried keeping his eyes on his cup to avoid looking at him, not wanting to be taunted again, but failed when he saw the man's arm shift to wrap around Sakura's shoulders.

His eye flickered to her, waiting for her to shrug him off, and experienced a wave of disappointment when she didn't. She continued her animated banter with Anko, his only clue that she even noticed Genma's advance was how she leaned just the slightest bit into him. He swallowed a faint growl in another drink. His head was starting to spin a little and Kakashi knew he needed to slow down, but the drinks were keeping him sane.

_Are they together?_

Genma caught his eye now, the chestnut orbs filled with satisfaction. To Kakashi, his whole posture seemed to be asking what he was going to do about it.

•~•

_"Look," he began stiffly, "Tsunade told me to reacquaint myself with the village, and my former team was the first thing I thought of."_

_Technically true, but a bald-faced lie in intent._

_The fuming blonde Godaime had actually told him, 'you better get reacquainted with the village quick because it's all you're going to see for the next two weeks'._

_Genma paused, contemplating the younger shinobi's words. "Okay, sure, I can get behind that… but why **these**?" He asked, shaking the file again for emphasis._

_Kakashi threw up his hands with real frustration._

_"I asked for all the available reports. I've been gone for two years, how was I supposed to know? I didn't even read one all the way through, I only skimmed it."_

_Genma relaxed considerably at that, looking almost relieved, before recovering and shooting him an oddly miffed look. "So what were you all riled for then? You only get hot and bothered like that when you read those books and think no one's lookin."_

_Kakashi secretly scrutinized him then, having spied his friend's guilty tell. The brunette's senbon was shifting, up and down repeatedly, as he flicked it with his tongue the way he did when he was hiding something. Kakashi had found during the early years of their friendship that the older man had no idea he did this and didn't tell him, enjoying reading him like a book._

_But now he found that he hated being able to read him. His good friend was hiding something from him with Sakura's scent was dripping off of him like that. And his seasoned intuition that told him those two things were related, he didn't stand a chance. Kakashi's temper snapped. He didn't even bother to answer the question._

_His outburst was less of an eruption and more of a creeping riptide. Kakashi leaned into Genma's space and the hardened shinobi tensed, sensing the dark change in his mood._

_"You're one to talk." Kakashi said, deceptively calm._

_Genma doesn't respond to him, looking guiltily nervous again._

_"Ne, Genma. Want to explain to me why **her** scent is all over you?" Kakashi tilted his head to the side and smiled, but he could only imagine the look in his own eye. _

_Genma sat back reflexively, but instead of yielding like Kakashi expected, his eyes darkened with amusement as the look on the Copy-Nins face helped him finally click all the pieces into place._

_His chuckle transitioned into a mocking groan, "Oh Hatake, I really don't think you'd like me to answer that." The senbon danced merrily between his teeth, but his eyes were filled with provocation. He got up and started leaving, sensing that staying wouldn't be a good idea for much longer. "I'll see you at the bar."_

_Then he left._

_Kakashi stood like a statue as the weight of Genma's words hit him. He needed time to process that before he went anywhere._

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

Genma watched as Kakashi muttered something about getting more drinks and slouched over to the bar.

He felt a bit like a dick right now honestly. He didn't handle confrontation very gracefully, and man had he _fucked_ this. He shifted his senbon as he chewed his inner cheek nervously, his bravado caving now that Kakashi had stepped away.

Genma was a little worried for their friendship now, feeling that maybe he'd been too hostile than called for. Though he'd been a little shocked by Kakashi's quiet fury as well.

Genma hadn't been expecting to be called out like that -damn that Hatake nose- and more so he hadn't been expecting the surge of possessiveness. He never knew Kakashi felt that way about Sakura.

 _Not that I can blame him._ He glanced sideways at the girl under his arm and wondered when he started hating the idea of her being held by someone else. He had no ground to stand on either, they'd decided on being just friends forever ago.

He got distracted by Sakura talking to Asuma. "Ne, Asuma, I got a chance to test your idea." She said with a grin.

"Oh? Which one?" Asuma chuckled and lit a cigarette that Anko promptly plucked from his lips. "Hey!"

"You promised Kurenai you'd stop smoking while she was pregnant." The kunoichi narrowed her eyes in warning.

Sakura giggled at the exchange before continuing eagerly. "The timed stroke. It worked!"

Asuma sat forward, the cigarette forgotten. His cinnamon eyes were bright with strategical analysis. "Tell me how it went, everything."

Genma grinned, unwinding, as the two of them started talking medical mumbo jumbo. Asuma had fallen into a pattern of suggesting wildy chaotic uses of medical ninjutsu to Sakura over the last year once her training with Tsunade was completed. Much to his surprise -well, less now he knew she was ANBU- she'd taken to attempting them when the opportunity arose. Some of them he knew, like this timed stroke, she wouldn't practice outside of theory because she wouldn't do that to her comrades.

"You're being a little hands on with my sparring partner tonight." Came a teasing voice, interrupting his thoughts. Raidou had leaned over after noticing his hold on the young kunoichi.

Genma threw him a wink. "Her puppy isn't around to stop me this time."

Raidou sniggered quietly and they both shared a laugh over the look they knew Kotetsu would have on his face if he were here. The rookie jounin had a much more innocent adoration for their fellow teammate, probably viewing her as a little more dainty than she actually was. He often wedged himself between Genma and Sakura on outings like these.

The two shivered in unison as they felt Sakura's chakra pierce them lightly, feeling like she'd grabbed them by the scruff of their necks. She glanced at them, unamused, her jade eyes conveying to them that she'd heard.

He hastily removed his arm. Her affair with him wasn't exactly a secret, everyone at the table knew -except maybe Guy and Iwashi- but she didn't often allow him to just talk about it. Now clearly wasn't one of those times and Sakura sometimes got a little less gentle when she started drinking.

Genma took the hint and shut up, pouring himself another drink before he pissed her off.

Kakashi returned, looking much more at ease, with another round of drinks for the table. Genma relaxed as he received a very small but apologetic smile from him. It seemed they were holding a truce for the time being. Both men turned their heads sharply as someone approached their table.

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

"Hey, Sakura. Can we talk?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the Inuzuka kid. Well, Kiba hardly looked like a kid anymore it seemed. He'd filled out and was almost as tall as he was. His hair was shorter, less wild, and his red markings stretched over defined cheekbones. His sharp canines flashed as he spoke.

Either way, Kakashi would always consider him to be a little whelp. Always caught up in his emotions. It was Kiba's aggressive scent right now that was bothering him. For Kakashi, reading the Inuzaka clan was almost second nature. The ninken specialists let off pheromones, just like their partners, with each mood. Normal people couldn't pick up on them but Kakashi couldn't possibly miss it, being a descendant from the Inuzuka and also having Hatake blood.

He caught a swirl of irritation in Sakura's eyes before she nodded and got up and left with him.

He noticed how Genma's eyes followed them with concern, but nothing in his form indicated a desire to follow them.

So Kakashi waited. Taking a few more drinks to appease Guy, who declared to him loudly that his youth must be fading if he wasn't willing to push his limits. After fifteen minutes passed and she hadn't returned, he stood, swaying, and offered them all a smile and a goodnight. "I think that's it for me you guys, I'm going to go sleep it off."

He noticed, amused, that there were far less protests this time. They were easier on him when he participated.

He left the bar, dodging a few women, and took a breath of fresh air. It was later than he realized, nearing midnight, and the streets were empty except for a few people stumbling from one bar to another. Scents were clearer out here, not muddled by the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke. He found Sakura and Kiba's scent right away and began to follow it.

It didn't take him long to find them in a less traveled alley way. He sat with his back to the roof's edge above them, and listened.

"Why don't you come around anymore?" Kiba's voice.

A soft sigh sounded before Sakura's voice chimed in. "I've been busy, Kiba, I only just got back to the village today."

"I don't mean in the last few days," came Kiba's irritated response, "I mean at all. Even when you are here, you're only ever with Shikamaru or the jounin-"

 _Shikamaru_? Kakashi wondered about that as the Inuzuka kept talking.

"-You never make time for us. You go on a few A-ranks as support and suddenly it's like you are too good for us now. What about me?"

 _What **about** you_? Kakashi snarked inwardly.

"Kiba." Sakura warned gently. "We talked about this."

"C'mon, Sakura." He whined softly, "What we had was good."

Kakashi stiffened at those words, suddenly bombarded again with the aggressive scent, paired now with the boy's arousal. He chanced a peek over the edge, seeing them clearly even in the dark, and had to restrain himself from making himself known.

Kiba had pressed himself against her, his hands gripping her hips and his head on her shoulder as he spoke right into her ear. Sakura looked a little annoyed but she wasn't resisting.

"It was, but it's also done." Sakura replied firmly.

"Just one more time? For old time's sake?" He purred enticingly, rubbing his cheek on her neck.

"Damn it Kiba, are you scent marking me?!" She protested, pushing him off.

Kiba's back hit the wall on the other side of the alley, a small crack appearing behind him, and he grunted at the impact but smirked at her. "Maybe."

Her green eyes grew playful then. "Fine, if you want it so bad, you just have to catch me first." Her sweet tone was anything but innocent.

Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. Her words dashed any doubts -hopes- that everything he learned in the last few hours could possibly be as fake as her chunin rank. Though a light flutter of hope stirred in his chest. If she was considering entertaining the Kiba kid, were her and Genma not exclusive?

 _Stop it_. Kakashi shook himself. _She's off limits. You've already decided to let her go._

He watched, doleful, as Sakura ran off with Kiba at her heels. If he had really let her go, then why did everything feel so wrong…

He turned to leave and, for the first time since his days at the academy, a note of fear and surprise was ripped from him. " _Shit_!" Came his strangled yelp, as he leapt to the side, his hands twitching automatically towards his kunai pouch.

He was met by a pair of green eyes, turned nearly silver in the moonlight, that were studying him with analytical precision. Upon his reaction they became lively with surprise and mirth.

"Now I've never seen that before." Sakura chortled, hands on her hips.

 _No one's ever seen that before._ Kakashi grumbled in his head, embarrassed. His heart thumped strangely. She had seen him spying on her. He was surprised that she hadn't attacked him yet for just that alone.

"How did you do that?" He demanded in an attempt to disguise his unease. He sniffed deeply. He's never been fooled by one of her bunshin before.

"Do what? Sneak up on you?" She asked, still trying to stem her laughter.

"Yes," he countered plainly, "How did you erase your scent like that?" If he couldn't smell her, then she'd always be able to sneak up on him. Between her masked chakra and her stealth training, -he would know, he _taught_ her- her scent would be the only thing he could rely on.

Sakura made a pleased face. "Something I picked up. With Kiba's nose, I can't get far without him tracking me down. To put it simply, I heighten my own sense of smell," she tapped her nose, "and then I shrink my pores until I know my scent disappears for someone with a sense of smell like the Inuzuka. I can't do it any longer than an hour though, without using chakra to cool myself down, or else my body overheats abnormally."

"Mmh." Was all Kakashi could say. He had to admit that was really clever of the medic-nin. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, bracing himself for the inevitable question.

"So you saw that then." Sakura seemed to recognize his tension. She cocked her head to the side with a curious expression. "Why were you watching us, Kakashi-san?"

"Just Kakashi." He said suddenly. She was a jounin. He wanted her to know that he knew they were equals. That he thought they were equals. It might be the sake, his head was tingling pleasantly, but he wanted any social obstacles between them torn to the ground.

"Just Kakashi…" She mused, rolling the name out slowly like she was experiencing a new flavor.

His stomach tightened. He liked hearing her say his name. _Fuck this isn't good…_

He was at a loss. He wasn't sure how to act around her anymore. In the field it was easy; there was a clear line of what was acceptable and a goal to focus on, but they were home now and these newly acknowledged feelings were confusing everything. He'd only ever been her sensei, and now that he wasn't, he felt like he didn't have a proper guideline for behavior. He could treat her like he would any fellow comrade, but would that be too aloof? They were closer than that right? But maybe he'd been gone too long, and she didn't want to be close like they were. If he were too friendly would she disapprove? Kakashi hoped not, though he'd not forgotten her obvious hurt towards his absence. He'd enjoyed their friendly banter that night in the cart, and he wanted more moments like that.

Keeping all these thoughts off his face was hell. He saw she was still waiting for him to answer her question.

"Something seemed to upset you about him being there, so I followed to make sure you were okay." He finally said. There, that was innocent enough.

"How chivalrous." She smirked at him.

"And yet, with all my efforts to pass on my chivalry," Kakashi jokingly lamented, "you've become so merciless. That poor boy."

Sakura laughed at that and he relaxed with a gentle grin. It seemed they were still on good terms.

"Hardly. I'm just teaching him an important lesson is all," She retorted. "I'll make him run for about twenty minutes and then release it. Maybe he'll get the message this time."

"How could he be fooled so long?" Kakashi asked wonderingly. He knew Kiba wasn't exactly a strategist but he had good instincts.

" _Desire is blinding to those run by it._ " She muttered.

Kakashi stared at her as he recognized the familiar quote. His crooked grin overtook his features and she started, realizing too late her mistake.

"You read them."

She blushed and denied it hotly, "I did not!"

Just like that, all his stress disappeared. He was laughing now, openly.

"You did too," He said in slight sing-song, "Read at least two of them too, that line was from Icha Icha Violence."

"Shh!" Sakura looked around, making sure no one heard.

"Why?" He teased, enjoying the shades of pinks that highlighted her face. "You don't want to share in the village's ridicule with me?"

"I definitely don't want to be lumped into the same category as Konoha's closet perv." She agreed, some amusement softening her blush as she relaxed.

"Closet perv." Kakashi scoffed. She was the only one who called him that, well, the only one he allowed to call him that. "I don't care who knows I read them, that would make you the closeted one."

He chuckled at her outraged cry, knowing she wasn't too angry or he'd already be dodging her fist.

Kakashi had no desire to rejoin his friends, but also he didn't want to go home yet. He realized, quite bashfully, that the reason for that was because he wanted to spend time more with her.

They jumped down from the rooftop, landing silently in the street.

"Do you… want to go somewhere?" The words left Kakashi's mouth without his permission, leaving him incredibly self-conscious in their wake. While there was nothing that dictated he couldn't -except himself- he was asking for alone time with the young kunoichi, and at this hour to say the least. It was selfish of him.

_After tonight I'm swearing off sake for good._

~•~•~•~•~•~

"Huh?" Sakura asked, not sure she heard that right.

"Ah, nothing. Nevermind." Kakashi said quickly, rubbing the back of his head and avoiding her eyes.

She stared at him. Was he being shy? Sakura shook her head, that couldn't be it. She must be reading it wrong. _Ah, maybe he's trying to let me know he's ready to talk now. That must be it._

They did have a lot of unresolved things to talk about. He'd promised to explain why he'd left. He also was probably second guessing giving her leverage over his personal life, and wanted it out of the way. The three questions. She still hadn't thought about what to ask.

"Oh," She smiled at him in understanding, "I know a place we could go. It's a small place a few streets over."

"Eh?" This time Kakashi looked bewildered and she found herself fighting the urge to giggle again.

The sake was finally showing its full influence. Drinking half a bottle of Tsunade's special brew to start off with probably hadn't been the best idea, but after that last mission she really needed the warm and fuzzy feeling that alcohol always brought her. She swayed a little before steadying herself. _Whew… I better do this now before I forget._ She focused her chakra and began slowly reopening her pores, before she was too drunk to remember. Her head rushed nicely and her skin felt more vibrant as it welcomed the fresh night air. If she had been more sober she might have noticed the way Kakashi's pupils expanded.

"C'mon," Sakura encouraged, "there will be less people to deal with. Better for sensitive conversation than our bar." She'd apologize to the other jounin later for ditching. Sakura had been surprised to even see him there, knowing Kakashi didn't care to socialize as frivolously as the other shinobi did. She could also smell that he'd had more to drink than her. The others must have pushed him to drink more, he smelled like a distillery.

She took his arm and started pulling him in the direction of the small sake house. As they walked she traced the veins that stood out on defined muscles of his forearms and felt him tense up, though he didn't pull away. _Oops_. She always became less reserved when drinking and quite often forgot that some people weren't as casual with physical contact as her. She immediately stopped tracing her fingers but held on. He was warm.

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

"This is where Lady Tsunade hides from Shizune when the paperwork becomes too much." Sakura said as she dragged him into a small sake house that Kakashi had honestly never noticed before. He was desperately ignoring her firm hold on his arm. Her hands were so soft, one of the effects of being a medic-nin.

It only had two booths and a small bar with four red stools. The place was empty, oddly so, not even a barkeep to be seen. The back wall behind the bar held an assortment of bottles holding colorful liquids that he appraised with sottish interest. He'd never seen sake that wasn't clear or liquid gold.

"I'm pretty sure she's the only reason they stay open," Sakura admitted, "I never see anyone else in here. It became my quiet place, after..." She faltered then, and Kakashi finally understood why they were here, the thought sobering him up just a little. He'd been somewhat astonished that she'd agreed to go somewhere with him and maybe a little too hopeful. He couldn't tell if he was disappointed or not but he didn't dwell on it. Sakura needed him now.

He reached for her hand as they settled into one of the booths, but just before their fingertips met Kakashi paused and pulled back. It wasn't his place to make such intimate contact. He could feel Sakura's weighted gaze on him, curious but not offended, so he leaned back and forced his muscles to loosen.

"How did it happen?" He asked quietly, gently. After finding out, Kakashi had refrained from asking around, not wanting to stir up painful memories in the village. Mebuki had been well loved, being from a well-known merchant family. Many must have mourned her passing. Her eyes were glued to the table.

"It was almost two months after you left."

He shifted uncomfortably but said nothing and let her talk.

"She was going to visit her sister, who lives in Kiri, near our eastern border. She was traveling with some of her wares… She didn't want to hire any shinobi, maybe it was cheaper," Sakura shrugged, "So she took two civilian guards instead."

Kakashi nodded. This was unfortunately a common occurrence. There were many civilian clans that detested the use of shinobi guard. He hadn't realized the Haruno's were one of them, their daughter being one after all. Though as he thought back, her former father had always regarded him with a poorly concealed air of disdain when he'd run into him in the marketplace or upon dropping his daughter off at home after a particularly difficult mission or training session. Kakashi had always attributed that disdain to himself directly, not shinobi in general.

"They were stopped by bandits, rogue shinobi." Sakura closed her eyes and Kakashi was almost grateful, not sure if he could handle what he saw. "The rest I can only guess at. Maybe she refused to hand over her stuff, or somehow angered them. Maybe they attacked on sight and it was over before she knew it…"

Her slack expression alarmed him, reminding him too closely of himself when he was younger. "Sakura, stop." He said firmly, knowing she would only get darker if she continued down that path. He didn't want that for her.

She stopped speaking and opened her eyes. "Ah, sorry. Here let me grab us some more drinks." She plastered a sweet smile on her face and slid out of her seat over to the bar, hopping the counter with practiced ease.

Inwardly Kakashi was shaken. Had she picked that up from him? Covering up her emotions with smiles and easy deflections… that was what he did, been doing it for years. Had he begun dragging her into the dark just by being a part of her life? No, he shook his head resolutely, it wasn't possible. He'd hidden all of his horrible past from his students. To them his smiles were just that, smiles, displays of happiness. Not armor to hide his pain behind.

He needed to steer their conversation towards something lighter when she returned. He didn't want her to be in pain.

She came back with a bottle and two glasses. Liquid gold had been an exaggeration before, but the bottle she held quite literally looked to be so.

Sakura must have noticed him inspecting it closely because she let out a puff of amusement. "Lift your headband up," she suggested lightly.

He raised his eyebrows at her and did as he was told, gazing into the bottle. With his Sharingan he could see a familiar swirl of energy inside it. Kakashi perked an eyebrow at the rosette questioningly.

She nodded in confirmation. "Chakra infused sake," she said with a grin, "this stuff could put anyone under the table. It even puts Lady Tsunade on her ass if she has enough."

She poured them both a glass and he took a tentative sip, slipping his mask up slightly so that his lips brushed the cool glass. He was minutely aware, and pleased, that she was kind enough to avert her eyes for him.

It was bitter and earthy and sharp. Kakashi loved it. His head felt fuzzy for a moment and then it cleared. Even the small taste he'd taken sent shivers of energy down his spine and warmth spread all the way to his fingertips. "That's really good." He said with surprise. He took a longer drink, humming as the warmth settled in his chest.

He noticed Sakura smiling to the side and he felt a surge of affection. She'd been the first of his former students to give up on trying to see his face. If he'd cared to place a bet on that he would have lost. He secured his mask back into place.

"I figured you'd like that one better." She said, turning her head back to him with a knowing smile. "You've always hated sweet things. If we ever come again, avoid the green and pink ones."

 _She said we._ He gazed at her through the warm haze. Sakura jumped, embarrassed.

"Not that you have to- I mean- you can come here whenever you feel like-" She stammered and took a long drink from her glass to shut herself up.

He chuckled as a deep blush appeared on her neck. Her cheeks were pink too but he knew that was probably a result of the alcohol, knowing he could feel a similar rosiness on his own cheeks and shoulders.

"So," His tone made her eyes snap to his, "what made you read them? What was your favorite part?"

She gaped at him and Kakashi fought the urge to laugh, knowing she'd never answer him if he did.

He was genuinely curious. People called it porn, but honestly the _Icha Icha_ story was quite intricate. Some of the love scenes were self-indulgent, sure, but they were still more intimate than just run-of-the-mill sex. He knew a few others who gave them a read, but they weren't reading for the story and he knew it. Kakashi had yet to hear a woman's perspective on the series.

"Is that your one question?" She countered, scrambling for leverage in their conversation.

Kakashi paused, pouting. It indeed was not. After today, he'd planned on asking her about Genma. Maybe it was petty but he had to know.

"Off the board." Kakashi backpedaled, negotiating. "If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine. Equal trade."

He could see that she was tempted, and he grinned. He rested his cheek on his hand and watched the internal struggle of the pink haired woman, admiring her prideful nature.

"Fine." She caved and he threw her a smug smirk that she stuck her tongue out at. "I enjoyed… the male point of view. Most romance novels are written from the female perspective and never really delve into what the man is feeling, and that's all we ever really want to know."

"We, or you?" Kakashi asked teasingly. Though he understood. He knew plenty of guys, himself included, that struggled to express themselves. His eyes roamed her face.

Sakura snorted. "You know what I mean. Your turn." She took another sip from her cup, not meeting his eyes.

He grinned and sat up, his arms folding on the table as he leaned forward. He wasn't letting her off the hook that easy. "On the contrary, you only answered half. Why did you start them?"

She choked, clapping a hand over her mouth as she glared at him. He gave her a sweet smile as if he'd done nothing wrong.

"You first or I'm not telling." She hedged, giving him a pointed look.

He felt his face heat up. As forward as he was being, he still struggled to say things like this in public. Flirting was one thing, but this was different, more embarrassing. There was a time and place for everything in his opinion. A gentleman in the streets as it were. But he'd made his bed and he had to lie in it.

Kakashi was downright mortified that he intended to tell her the truth. The silver haired man leaned his face back into one hand and glanced at the wall, unable to look her in the eyes as he said it, trying to look as unbothered as possible.

She was clearly delighted by his discomfort. He knew over the years he'd teased them all quite a bit, and they didn't often get chances to repay the favor. Karma was a bitch indeed.

_She is way too happy about this_. He thought to himself with an inner pout.

"I…" He cleared his throat, mumbling the rest. "I first read it when I was 17, for… advice."

"On love... or _love_?" Sakura trailed off with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows. She giggled as his face went crimson, that being an answer in itself.

"Well what about you?" He said brusquely, trying to tamper his reactions.

She smiled, thoroughly unabashed. "Same reason."

"Oh really?" Kakashi asked, feeling a bit better by her revelation.

Sakura sniffed. "Had to start somewhere, I wasn't going in blind."

Kakashi gave a short laugh at that, having felt the same way back then. Had she always been this easy to talk to? He hadn't felt this carefree since… well, since before his ANBU days.

They both took another long drink, and Kakashi had to push his glass away as his vision swam before him. He was in the danger zone, even for him. He needed a break or he might do something stupid.

Kakashi's nose twitched and he glanced Sakura over as certain spicy musk seeped into her scent. It was faint but it was there, and it was maddening. Was she getting aroused by this? His fingers tightened slightly in his own hair at the thought. His mind was probably playing tricks on him. Wishful thinking.

"Have you given any thought to the things you want to ask me?" Kakashi asked, his tone a little deeper than usual. His polished self control was cracking.

"Honestly I can't think of a single thing that I'd like to ask you without being too invasive." She admitted, looking off to the side shyly.

"Then what comes to mind when I tell you not to worry about that?" Kakashi purred. _Shit, get a hold of yourself_. His gut clenched as she looked up at him through thick lashes. He was in trouble.

He froze as she leaned towards him and responded with a purr of her own. What was happening... Her peridot eyes seemed to hold a dark promise that made his insides quiver. "That's pretty brave. Are you sure you want to be at my mercy, Kakashi?"

As her breath washed over his face, smelling of strawberries and sake, he suddenly couldn't process a single thought, but then his name fell from her lips in three intoxicating, mouthwatering syllables.

He could only think one thing then.

Run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd I do for our first taste of possessive Kakashi?  
> (And what do you all think of possessive Genma 😁 )
> 
> Also BOOM Asuma is alive because dammit I need that. Since the Akatsuki isn't up to any shenanigans right now I didn't have it in my heart. So he's alive. I said so... 😭
> 
> Edit: I added new tags, felt it was only fair to put Genma and Kiba up in the relationship tags. "Relationship" is vague enough for me. Past and FWB count!!


	8. Kekkei Suimin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I'm finally introducing one of the main points of my au in this chapter. I'm dropping some of my personal canon on Kakashi, please tell me what you think of the idea!!
> 
> I'm probably going to have to update the tags again too <3
> 
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

_What did I just do?_

Sakura sat back blinking dumbly. Her blurry gaze took in the sight of the empty booth in front of her where Kakashi had been sitting just moments ago.

He'd disappeared in a poof of smoke and she'd heard wobbling footsteps on the roof before they gained assurance and darted off.

The haze of liquor was impeding her ability to think and process the last thirty seconds. She was overly conscious that her body was vibrating with a feverish intensity. Frustrated, Sakura reached very carefully for her chakra and sped up her liver function. She was wary of using medical jutsu on vital organs while drunk, but being so inebriated right now was her problem so…

After a minute or so the heavy fog lifted from her mind. Sakura was still a bit tipsy but at least she could think more clearly and that was enough for now. 

Body on autopilot, she stood and returned the unfinished bottle of sake to the shelf and placed a couple thousand Ryo under the tray the owner had placed inconspicuously under the bar counter. It was a system she had worked out with the old man after she'd finally bullied him into allowing her to pay for her drinks. Being the Hokage's apprentice had worked a lot of wonders for her but she wasn't going to allow special treatment when it came to such simple matters like goods and services. She made more than enough from her missions to be so cheap as to accept handouts.

A rancid scent reached her nose while she was under the counter, and Sakura noticed an opened jar of cherries that had obviously expired. Her nose wrinkled in aversion and she grabbed the jar and threw it in the trash. When she stood back up Sakura was met with a much more welcoming scent. Her head turned back in the direction of her table. _Hmm, forgot to undo the scent-enhancing jutsu..._

Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked back to where they'd been sitting. She padded forward until she stood in front of the wooden booth and inhaled deeply. Pine. Sandalwood. Campfire smoke. 

Her knees gave out without warning, and she caught her shoulder on the corner of the table as she fell. Sakura gave a small hiss of pain, her bite wounds had reopened a little. Her head swam and her core began to throb under the effect of such a masculine smell. Slightly alarmed she reached with her chakra and returned her sense of smell back to normal. Almost immediately Sakura felt a bit better but her body was still inflamed. She could still faintly smell pine but she didn't _feel_ as strongly as before.

She stood on shaky legs and shrugged out of her vest, placing it on the seat next to her. She ripped a small hole in her shirt so she could lift her bandage and take a peek. The teeth marks were trickling a little with fresh blood. She tried healing it again, but still found her jutsu being blocked. Sakura frowned and re-covered them. She could change the bandage later. She bit her lip as another flood of heat made a pass through her center.

Was this Kakashi's doing? She marveled at the possibility. Thanks to her experiences with Kiba she'd learned it was possible for an Inuzaka to give off a natural alluring scent like that, but she'd never been affected like this, so what gives? Kiba smells a bit like rain and mint, which Sakura hadn't exactly hated, but it hadn't gone straight to her center like _this_ scent had done. Nor was Kiba's as strong as this. Sakura wondered if Kakashi might be distantly related to the Inuzuka's then. He did use ninken, though in a more independent way, but he doesn't really bear much of a resemblance. 

Her mind circled around the idea warily. If it was true… did that mean Kakashi had tried coming on to her? The thought was almost laughable to Sakura. He could never be interested in her that way, he was _Kakashi._ Konoha's Copy Ninja, master of a thousand jutsu. S-rank shinobi, ANBU captain. The longstanding bachelor had made it this far without a woman catching his attention, and while Sakura knew she had grown and improved in leaps and bounds, she would never be so prideful or deluded to believe that she'd catch his eye.

But… he'd been aroused. Sakura knew that much. She'd seen it too many times to not recognize it right away. Lust. She shivered as his eyes flashed in her mind. He had always had those sleepy hooded eyes but this time his half lidded gaze had seemed to be alive with some primal kind of hunger.

Sakura sighed. She shouldn't be entertaining such musings. She was finding it more difficult by the second to believe that Kakashi would try something like that with her. They'd both been drinking and they were discussing a porn novel for Kami's sake. It made sense that he'd get… She flushed at the image that invaded her mind. She knew she shouldn't be feeling this way but it's not like she was blind. Hatake Kakashi was a handsome man. It would be childish to deny that she found him attractive, especially with how her body was reacting now. He wasn't her sensei anymore, but whether he knew it or not (and Sakura was betting on _not_ ) as an ANBU captain he was still her superior and that kind of thing was just not allowed. Either way, he'd made a rather quick exit when she'd begun to move in on him. He obviously wasn't that interested.

Huh. Had she been the one to move in first? She remembered hearing Kakashi say _something_ in a low purr and then she'd lost her head. What exactly had she planned to do, kiss him? She snorted at the thought of kissing him through that ever present mask, but oddly enough her stomach also fluttered at the idea as she recalled their contrived kiss in the field. The smooth material of his mask would probably feel much nicer than the bandages had. She stood quickly, banishing the thought. That's twice now in a matter of days that she's had inappropriate thoughts about her former sensei. Sakura wasn't sure what she had been about to do, but all she knew was that some primitive instinct had screamed for her to get closer to him. Had it been that scent? Even with Genma, who was by far one of the more efficient lovers she'd taken, nothing he'd done had ever caused her to lose complete control of her faculties like that. And Kakashi hadn't even touched her.

With a heavy sigh Sakura got up. She should apologize before things got too awkward between them. Somewhere along the line she must have forgiven him, Sakura realized, because she wanted to be sure that their relationship wasn't damaged by her bizarre lapse in control. She'd quickly become fond of this relaxed playful Kakashi and was loath to see him disappear. Tsunade had told her while she was reporting that Kakashi had been informed of her true rank. Was this how he was with all the jounin when he finally relaxed? It was definitely a refreshing version of him if so.

She left the sake house and hesitantly re-enhanced her sense of smell, though to a lesser degree than before. Almost immediately she was assaulted with that heady scent. As soon as she ascertained which direction Kakashi had gone, she stemmed the chakra flow to her nose. She muttered a curse as her body thrummed with heat without her permission. She cherished her self control almost as much as chakra control, and it bothered her that she couldn't seem to get any purchase against this -albeit intoxicating- taboo arousal.

As she bounded across the rooftops with silent footfall, so as not to disturb the inhabitants within so late at night, she allowed her intellectual musings to take the forefront as a way to distract her body.

She'd never given any serious thought to Kakashi's lineage. As his student Sakura remembered a few instances where she'd asked about his family, simple curiosities like having siblings or what his parents were like. Were they shinobi too? As innocent as her questions were, they had all been smoothly deflected with training tips, or less smoothly by Naruto's whiny bumblings.

She'd tried getting answers from the other sensei, having always had a bit of a stubborn streak, but after a gentle yet sharp reprimand from Kurenai-sensei about respecting privacy she'd let it go with the appropriate air of shame for being so nosy.

His words finally came back to her. He'd told her not to worry about being invasive with her questions… could she ask about this? She hoped so. Sakura was pretty sure her curiosity would get the better of her this time.

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

Kakashi dropped to his knees as soon as he reached the lake's edge in training grounds 3. He chose here out of instinct apparently, barely remembering his feet carrying him here. He was breathing hard from a mix of his mad dash and an inexplicable heat pooling low in his abdomen. 

"What the fuck is this?" He panted, staring at his reflection in the water. His sharingan swirled chaotically and his normal eye was glazed over. 

His body had never acted this way before. Where was his control? It had taken every ounce of his sanity to flee that sake house instead of lunging towards her. Leftover hints of Sakura's scent still clung to him, causing him to shudder violently as waves of desire crashed over him. He growled and slammed a fist down in frustration, shattering his reflection as the water rippled from the disturbance. 

This wasn't right. He had no right, but oh how he _craved_ her. That look she'd given him made him want to make Sakura his in every sense of the word. Where had all this come from? He'd had this desire neatly packed away in the deep recesses of his mind but now it was ripping through his traitorous body with unprecedented fervor. Was this some insane response to finding out she'd become a woman in his absence? Was it because of Genma's words? 

He cupped some water from the lake and splashed it into his face in an attempt to ease some of the heat he was feeling. It didn't cool him down, but it help him feel more sober. He let himself fall on his back in the grass. He couldn't tell if his shivering was due to arousal or the gentle chill of the air against his fevered skin.

"Boss?" Came a wary call.

Kakashi was so out of it that he hadn't heard Pakkun appear.

"Pakkun." He rasped, turning his head to the side to see the small dog padding towards him. He hadn't called his friend on accident, had he? He didn't think so, which meant the pug had called himself. "Why are you here?"

The pug stared at him wordlessly with the oddest expression on his face. Kakashi was mildly aware that his oldest summon seemed uncharacteristically tense, his fur spiked up in agitation.

"When was the last time you bed a woman?" The pug eventually asked, shifting his paws uncomfortably.

Kakashi's eyes snapped to the pug in surprise. Pakkun was one of his oldest friends and they were close, but with the barrier between their species he'd never expected to have such a conversation with him. The pug just gave him a look, clearly expecting an answer.

Not sure where this was going, he answered dubiously. "It's been awhile... a couple years at least." He grunted a little under his breath as his lust flared. It was getting worse, his pants becoming uncomfortably tight.

Pakkun's eyes darkened with worry. "And when was the last time you cooked yourself a meal? Not take out or rations."

"What? What does that have to do with anything?" Kakashi groaned painfully. "Nonstop missions for two years Pakkun, what do you think?"

"Kakashi you stubborn fool," Pakkun barked with wide eyes full of dismay, "Wait here."

"Where would I go like this?" Kakashi gasped out, but the ninken had already disappeared.

He rolled over to his stomach, the ground providing some sweet friction that soothed his raging manhood. Kakashi grit his teeth and sat up. This was ridiculous. He would not grind against the ground like some depraved, hormonal teenager. Absolutely not.

A few minutes later Pakkun returned, the edge of his bandana gripped in his teeth turning it into some kind of makeshift pouch. The navy material seemed to be holding something. "Take it." He grunted, the words a little muffled as he tried not to drop what he was carrying.

Kakashi reached forward and pulled out a small book and a cup filled with an herbal mix from the pug's bandana. He sniffed the cup curiously and easily recognized the seasoning blend his father had taught him to use on most of his meals. This would help? He looked at the ninken, a little unconvinced.

"Put some water in there and drink it. Won't be pleasant but it'll work faster."

He drew some water from the lake and used a small katon to heat the water, figuring it would make it more like a tea. He downed it right away, trusting his companion without reservation. It was scalding hot and some of the leaves and bits stuck to his tongue and teeth. The flavor was more astringent in liquid form, nothing like the comforting savory flavor he'd come to associate with his signature marine dish. Kakashi's face scrunched up in distaste.

He had burned his mouth on the makeshift tea but it turned out to be an easy trade because after a minute his body began to calm. Kakashi was still a bit pent up but he was finally able to tear his lecherous thoughts away from the pink haired medic. At least the burning heat was gone. He looked at the small book. It was old and untitled, with a worn midnight cover.

"Pakkun, what _was_ that?" Kakashi eventually asked. The two had been sitting in silence. He was about to open the cover and read the first page when Pakkun pulled it away from him, placing both his front paws down on the cover.

The pug sighed, sounding old. "Your bloodline is finally catching up with you it seems. I'm surprised it waited this long to present."

The silver haired shinobi sat straighter. His bloodline? He was tempted to wrestle the intriguing book away from the small ninken, but he resisted the urge. "What do you mean by that? What do you know?" 

The pug looked off to the side, hesitating.

"Pakkun?" Kakashi urged him, concerned by what could make his companion look so uneasy.

"It's less what I do know, and more what we might know." The pug said sheepishly.

"We?" Kakashi was starting to get confused, and a little irritated. "Come on Pakkun, stop avoiding me."

Pakkun loosed a soft whine and his tail drooped. "I'm trying. It's a lot to put together. Make us a fire, while you work I'll try to gather how to say it."

He got up and scanned the treeline for some dead branches. He tried to take his time to give the pug time to think, but curiosity prickled under his skin and he couldn't help but move swiftly. A few minutes and one katon later, there was a small campfire ready. Pakkun settled beside it, his smaller body relaxing as the heat reached him. 

"To start let me tell you that my mother's littermate, Takeo, was Emi's ninken," Pakkun began.

Kakashi's jaw stiffened as his mother's name was mentioned. His father would never say it. He settled on the grass next to his summon, his eye flicking to the book under Pakkun's paws again.

He'd been told that she'd died giving birth to him, and besides a few small details, Kakashi had never gotten his father to talk about her. All he knew was she'd been beautiful and kind, that she was an Inuzuka, and that her death haunted Hatake Sakumo.

Pakkun shifted, his face growing rueful. "Before Takeo left, he gave my mother a journal that Emi had been writing for you, and several years ago mother entrusted it to me." 

"What!" Kakashi exclaimed. "Pak, why didn't you tell me this sooner?" He snatched the journal from him without a second thought and popped it open. The first page was written in a gentle sloping script.

 _To my son or daughter, I apologize for the stresses of life that my union with your father may cause you. After Sakumo explained to me what it meant to be a born Hatake, I grew anxious and finally began to understand the reasons behind my mother's warnings to stay away from him. Though I never could have known her concerns weren't for me._ _Your father is the light of my life, but even as I worry for you, I know that I will never love anything more than you, my precious child. I can feel you shift inside me and each day the desire to hold you in my arms grows._ _This journal is as much for me as it is you. It calms me to know that I'm doing all I can to prepare for your arrival._

His eyes kept circling back the words that told him his mother had loved him. He'd never expected to receive those words from her. A lump formed at the back of his throat. Kakashi had to tear his watering eyes away from the page to stare at his oldest summon. How could he keep such a thing a secret? His mouth was open as he struggled to form the words, millions of questions on his mind.

The pug raised a paw as if to silence him before he could say anything. "We were only supposed to give the journal to you if you started showing certain signs."

"Signs? What signs?" 

"Kakashi." The pug gave him a level stare that held so much weight behind it that Kakashi fell silent. "Did Sakumo ever tell you what it means to be a Hatake?"

The silver haired man stilled and stared into the fire trying to ignore the resentment that bubbled in his chest. He couldn't remember ever having a discussion about the Hatake's, only that they were the last two. Father had committed suicide when he was only five, not long after he'd graduated from the academy. He'd only been five, probably not old enough for conversations about a dying clan. Definitely not old enough to be orphaned. He should feel grateful that Sakumo had even taught him how to cook, he might have starved otherwise. He shook his head slowly in response to Pakkun's question.

Pakkun didn't seem surprised by his answer. "Then I'll have to explain that first. So Hatake means field, right?" The pug asked, bobbing his head in response to Kakashi's nod. "That's incredibly symbolic for your clan's kekkei suimin."

"Kekkei... suimin?" Kakashi said slowly. "I've not heard that before, what does it mean?"

"The Uchiha and Hyuga have their dojutsu, the Hatake's have kekkei suimin." Pakkun explained patiently, "Your bloodline, instead of an active ability like the sharingan, has a passive ability. It cannot be accessed willingly. The Hatake kekkei suimin revolves around procreation, you are the fields that bear fruit. The fertile soil."

"Okay..." Kakashi said slowly, processing, "your words make sense but I don't understand their meaning. If it's not an active ability, then what comes of it?" If he had known he'd be having this conversation tonight, he'd have had a little less to drink. It felt like his hangover was coming early as Kakashi tried to grasp everything he was being told. His head was pounding.

Pakkun continued in that patient tone. "The Hatake genes will influence and enhance the abilities of the mate in their offspring, creating an elite version. Take yourself for an example. Your sense of smell well exceeds that of an Inuzaka. Your speed, your natural instinct. You were a born prodigy."

"But my chakra reserves are so terrible. How can I be 'elite offspring'?" Kakashi asked, doubtful.

Pakkun's eyes darkened. "It's in the book, you'll find out soon."

The more Kakashi thought about Pakkun's revelations, it began to make sense. He began scrutinizing his memories and a few things surfaced that he'd never cared to pay enough attention to. As a child he'd been used to receiving looks of disgust or anger, being the son of a vilified hero. Eventually Kakashi had gotten used to it, but now as he thought back, some of the most expressive glares had belonged to members of the Inuzaka clan. Though even after Father's death, those glares never stopped so he hadn't dared ask to be taken in. Up until now, he had thought it was all because he was the White Fang's son, but now he wondered if there was more to it.

"Do… does the Inuzuka clan resent me?" Kakashi asked, nonplussed.

Pakkun dropped his head to his paws. "Uh, not quite… The Inuzaka forbid their members to take their mates with the Hatake. To put it bluntly, you were an illegal child."

" _What?_ " Kakashi stared at the dog. That brought a whole new set of questions to his mind. He was illegal offspring..? Kakashi knew that clan pride ran deep and if this were really true then he was surprised to be alive.

"There was a time when the Hatake kekkei suimin was common knowledge. The Inuzuka were afraid that a new 'pack' would form in Konoha, one with skills greater than their own." Pakkun muttered, looking disgusted. 

It took a moment for Kakashi to take in the gravity of this information. His mother must have really loved his father to disobey the laws of her clan. His throat constricted as he realized how much Emi had loved _him_. She could have decided not to have him, but she had gone through with him anyways.

Pakkun gave him a moment before continuing. "After Emi passed, a hush order was put into effect. They actually tried to hide your relation to her, and it worked to an extent. There's not many left in the Inuzaka clan who know of your relation to her. I think the youngest is Inuzaka Tsume, the current clan head. She was about ten years old when you were born. She's honored hush order, none of the new generations have any idea."

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. This was a lot to take in. "How do you know all of this? And what does it have to do with my body," he hesitated, "erm, freaking out like that?"

The pug ducked his head and pointed a nose towards the little book. "It's in there, but some of it was also passed through the ninken generations, from Takeo to my mother to myself." The pug's ears perked up. "Ah, I can explain more later, someone's coming this way," he barked hastily.

Kakashi had already heard them, quickly slipping the journal into his pocket.

Pakkun sniffed the air and relaxed subtly. "It's just Sakura. I'd recognize that scent anywhere, she still uses my shampoo."

The shinobi didn't relax at all as Sakura's scent wafted towards him. He was a bit surprised that she'd tracked him down like this, given what had transpired. He felt tendrils of shame snake their way under his skin. She was probably here to reprimand him for his behavior. It was only to be expected. As her former teacher it wasn't terribly appropriate for him to have flirted with her like he'd done.

"Pakkun, could you give us a minute? We'll talk more tomorrow." Kakashi didn't need an audience for what he knew was coming.

"Try not to call me until you've read the whole thing. It'll be easier for me to clarify anything for you if you have any questions." Pakkun disappeared in a small cloud of smoke just moments before Kakashi's keen eyes picked up the candy pink of Sakura's hair in the trees.

"Sakura, what are you doing here." He sighed. Even though she was still about ten meters away he knew she'd hear him. His heart ached at the sight of her. Now that his feelings were fully realized it was painful to see her and know she could never be his. He was too broken for the likes of her. Sakura deserved an equal, not a project.

He couldn't help but admire her as she approached. Her hair glowed almost orange as she entered the rim of firelight, and he could see the muscles of her thighs rippling under her tights as she walked closer. She was no longer wearing her vest jacket and her black shirt was form fitting, accentuating the gentle curve of her waist. Kakashi did notice that her shirt seemed to have a new tear at the right shoulder. He frowned, had she caught a tree branch? He could smell a faint tang of blood coming from her.

Sakura approached slowly looking embarrassed and that left Kakashi puzzled. She hadn't done anything wrong.

"I'm here to apologize, Kakashi-san," She said softly, "that was really unprofessional of me back there."

An uncertain chuckle escaped him. Was she being serious? He tried gauging her expression and apparently she was. "You did nothing wrong." He assured her.

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Kakashi-san-"

"-Stop it with that." He cut in. Kakashi had never cared for honorifics, and he found he deeply disliked hearing them from her.

"-you actually ran from me tonight. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just got carried away." Sakura insisted, her hands on her hips as she argued with him. 

**_She_ ** _got carried away_? He thought to himself incredulously. He didn't need to hear that. It gave him hope that he shouldn't want.

"Sakura, I promise that I didn't leave because of you." He sighed wearily. _I left because I clearly can't control myself around you._

She looked at him and he gazed back at her levelly, daring her to contradict him. She snorted when he gave her no room to argue, and stumbled. He eyed her cautiously, was she still drunk? She definitely smelled like it, but it looked like more than it. Her eyes were clouded in a weary haze.

"Sit down before you fall," He ordered mildly, "Have you slept since getting back?"

She shook her head silently and plopped down next to him. 

He groaned inwardly. Of all the students to take after him. It's not like he could reprimand her without inviting a biting retort. They both stared at the fire for a minute.

"So if it wasn't because of me, then why'd you leave so quickly?" Sakura slurred, a mix of tipsy and tired. As an afterthought she added, "That's question one."

Kakashi glanced at her, wondering if she'd even remember any of this in the morning. _Oh screw it, if she hits me I'll survive_. He internally hoped not, but he had to hold up his promise. "I sensed I was about to suffer a lapse in judgement, so I removed myself from the problem." He said in an offhand manner, hoping a lighter tone would distract her from the weight of his words.

"You too?" She chuckled, her eyes drooping. "That was weird wasn't it?"

This had to be divine punishment. What did she mean "too"? 

"Do you always smell like that?" She mumbled before he could respond.

He sniffed himself. He was a little sweaty, but nothing she should be able to smell. He didn't smell anything unordinary. "Smell like what?"

"Like… the forest, and that." Sakura responded pointing to the fire.

Kakashi squinted at her. She must still be drunk after all. She still wasn't giving him a chance to talk either.

"Kakashi, are you an Inuzaka? Question two." She scooted towards him, looking a little more awake, but barely.

He started, staring at her suspiciously. "What gave you that idea?" She couldn't have heard him and Pakkun talking, could she? He didn't think so, but what else could have pointed her directly to this? 

She yawned, oblivious to his intensity. "Your smell," Sakura replied simply, "you smell like Kiba but different. Stronger."

It suddenly hit him what she meant. She'd mentioned earlier on the roof that she could heighten her sense of smell. That would put her scent ability at least on par with a ninken's, which would mean she could recognize and differentiate different people's scents. Kakashi knew that everyone had their own distinct scent, he'd memorized a decent chunk of the individual scents of the Leaf's shinobi force, and had noticed long ago that the Inuzuka had stronger scents than the others. Though he'd never stopped to consider his own. If Pakkun said all his Inuzuka traits were enhanced, what Sakura had said would make perfect sense.

Kakashi suddenly noticed that he didn't know what he smelled like. He would assume pine from the cologne he wore but he was probably desensitized to his natural scent.

She bumped her shoulder into his, breaking his train of thought. She tilted her head to the side in a way that he found rather cute, prompting him to answer her.

"Yes." Kakashi said, feeling a little vulnerable at the revelation. He obviously was aware that some people knew, but he'd never actually said it to anyone. "My mother was part of the Inuzaka clan." He made sure to include a pointed edge to his voice, not ready for any more questions on that front. He had too many of his own right now.

Whether she'd taken his social cue or not, he'd never know. Sakura simply nodded, like she'd expected that response and it seemed to be enough (much to his relief).

"Oh yeah," Sakura yawned again and dropped her head onto Kakashi's shoulder. He was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to consider shaking her off. She was quickly worming her way through his every defense. She murmured drowsily, "You never did explain why you left me."

A moment turned into a minute as he grasped for something to say. Anything. Her phrasing had thrown him off. Kakashi knew the longer he stayed silent was a deeper hole he was digging for himself, but right as his mind landed on words that would work, Sakura moved. Her head turned towards him without lifting from his shoulder, her lips brushing against his collarbone through the thin material of his undershirt. He froze in panic for the second time that night, but then he heard her begin to snore softly.

It was the most adorable sound he'd ever heard.

The sound made his heart soar and he gave a quiet, strained chuckle. "Oh I'm so screwed." He muttered to himself, glancing down at her sleeping face. She looked so soft like this, less guarded. Kakashi hadn't even realized how guarded she'd been until this moment. Since when did she need to be?

Without thinking he lightly brushed a couple fingers down her cheek. Her snoring was interrupted as she hummed a soft note of approval, and nudged her cheek further into his hand. After a moment the gentle snoring picked back up like nothing had happened.

He couldn't stop staring, she was so beautiful. Kami, he needed to stop this. It wasn't fair to himself to continue tormenting himself like this. He sighed regretfully and shook her shoulder a bit to wake her, but she didn't respond.

He hesitated and tapped her cheek, "Sakura." He hissed. She shifted a little, almost falling into his lap but she was still out like a light.

Kakashi might've been amused if not for one small detail. It was about 2 in the morning and he had no idea where she lived.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really eager to hear your thoughts on the Hatake lore!! Don't hold back on me 🧐
> 
> (The idea *was* influenced by something called the omegaverse, but it won't be exactly the same for those of you that have heard of it.)
> 
> Edit: I took suimin from the Japanese word for "sleep"


	9. Morning, Sunshine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm a day late! I promise I had a good reason  
> ^-^
> 
> It was my birthday this week! I took a day out of my writing schedule to relax and enjoy it :)
> 
> *sing song voice* I think I more than made up for it in this chapter! Enjoy and don't forget to praise and/or roast me in the comments!!
> 
> \-----------------------------------------------------------

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

Kakashi fumbled with his doorknob. She was not making this easy on him.

He'd been halfway back to the bar to see if their friends were still there -to ask them where Sakura lived- when she decided in her sleep that she didn't like the way she was being carried. He'd originally had one arm braced under the crook of her knees and the other under her back, carrying her bridal style. Piggy back hadn't worked because he couldn't get her to secure her arms to keep her from falling. An ironic fact considering she wouldn't let go now. Presently, Sakura was completely hung up him, arms snaked around his neck and her legs were wrapped firmly around his hips. Kakashi was fairly certain he could let go and she wouldn't move an inch.

The biggest issue with this position was Sakura herself. It appeared she was a very affectionate drunk. Her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest and she kept shifting her hips against his. She'd even tried biting his neck which had his erection return with throbbing intensity. Since when did he have a biting kink? With that Kakashi couldn't bring himself to take a single step further towards the bar. He knew how this looked and didn't need any misunderstandings if Genma was there. He still didn't know what their situation was but for now he wasn't going to risk it. Kakashi was just grateful that he wasn't being plagued by the all consuming lust he'd experienced earlier.

He finally got the door open and was nearly bowled over by Bull, who apparently had decided to stay with him tonight. The bulldog tried jumping up and sniffing Sakura, inspecting her closely.

"Hey Buddy, not a good time." Kakashi grunted, scratching his ears and pushing him back to the floor with one hand. He scooted past the massive dog, who whined and followed him to the living room eagerly. Of all his students it was Sakura who Bull had loved the most. His tail swung like a baseball bat, thwacking against the coffee table as he pushed his nose into her side, trying to say hello to the sleeping woman.

Sakura ground her hips down again and let out a soft sigh that tickled his ear. Kakashi's breath hitched. He couldn't help but be affected by her touch; He was a gentleman, not a saint. He looked at his couch for a split second before turning his step towards his bedroom. He wouldn't make her sleep on a couch when she was like this. She could have the bed, he would take the couch. Hormones be damned. Kakashi would never take advantage of her when Sakura was in this state.

He nudged his bedroom door open with his foot and muttered a short command for Bull to stay put. He strode smoothly over to his bed and paused. How was he going to do this… he slowly raised his hands away from her. Sakura still hung from him and Kakashi sighed, dropping his hands to his sides in defeat. It was a little ridiculous how tightly she was clinging to him. She hadn't even needed his support.

He managed to get her hands out from around his neck, and was just leaning forwards to drop her into the bed when she whined in protest and wrapped her arms around his back instead, pressing her face into his chest.

"Sakura?" Kakashi said quietly, wondering if she'd woken.

She had not.

He tried to ignore the flood of affection that was threading through him, he really did try. He'd never imagined that he could enjoy something like this, someone refusing to let him go. He was definitely reading too much into it but it was making him feel needed in a way that didn't include his ability to kill.

He reluctantly resumed his efforts in trying to detangle himself from her grasp and was met with little success. He sat down at the edge of his bed, and reached back to pull her arms apart. Sakura gripped him tighter and Kakashi struggled to breathe as her monstrous strength reared its head. He felt his bones groan in protest and was worried she'd actually crush his ribs if she squeezed him any tighter. His shoulder popped audibly, painfully, and he fell back with a grunt, pulling Sakura with him.

"I'll be damned if I ever go drinking with you again," Kakashi grumbled to her sleeping form, turning onto his side so she wouldn't be laying on top of him. This was not how he'd imagined sharing a bed with her for the first time. The thought skated through his head so absently that he didn't even reprimand himself for it.

In spite of his grumbling, he scooted them farther into the bed and managed to get a pillow under her head. She'd loosened her death grip but he still couldn't get her to let go. He was beginning to wonder if this would be his whole night. Should he just settle in and deal with it? Sakura was sure to be embarrassed in the morning and he would definitely tease her about this for the rest of her life, but he wasn't sure it would be worth the hole in his chest when she first woke up and found herself tangled in his arms.

Kakashi also really wanted to finish reading that journal. He didn't want to do so with anyone in his direct vicinity. Not even Sakura. He still couldn't believe he had a whole book full of his mother's words. He was eager to read them, but apprehensive. While he would learn more about Mother, he would also learn more about himself and his clan and Kakashi wasn't sure he'd like what he found. He was the last living Hatake, and he'd spent most of his life ignoring the implications of that. It was no small thing when a clan was dwindled down to one member, usually implying a large-scale attack if the Uchiha were anything to go by.

If his clan had been made of "elite" versions of Hatake spouses, Kakashi was unnerved by the idea of them being wiped out. Even more so that he'd never heard anyone talk about their absence. It had been a whole decade and there are still whispers about the lone Uchiha survivor.

The smell of blood distracted his thoughts again. It was still coming from Sakura and it was really starting to bother him. Kakashi reached for the rip in her shirt cautiously, if only to not disturb her, and pulled the bandage away. She'd admonished him enough times in the past for hiding injuries that he felt safe making sure she heeded her own words. He had a first aid kit somewhere that he could use to redress the wounds.

What he was met with made his skin crawl. Kakashi assessed the jagged angry bite marks marring her creamy skin. Sadness and anger settled in his heart. There were several sets, almost on top of each other as if... that bastard had _chewed_ on her flesh. Kakashi flinched. They looked painfully deep. The skin around each puncture was bruised, purple and red and puffy, and blood was trickling slowly from them. Why hadn't Sakura healed these yet? It was obvious who was responsible for this and he berated himself once again for ignoring his instincts. How could he have left her to deal with Kisame alone? Never again.

_Damn it._

This is exactly what he'd been afraid of. Being around Sakura again was ruining his resolve to not pursue her. He could feel his reservations crumbling with each passing second. To make matters worse, seeing her hurt was making Kakashi question the order of things. He shouldn't be willing to disobey orders for the protection of one person, but here he was wishing he'd stayed by her side and wondering what he'd do if confronted with this decision again. He had a hard time seeing himself abandon her a second time…

He pulled some tissue from his nightstand and dabbed gently at the bleeding puncture wounds. There wasn't much he could do pinned to the bed like this, but he could at least make sure it stopped bleeding. During his work in ANBU, he'd picked up enough first aid to deal with cleaning and binding injuries. Just enough that he could avoid going to the hospital for the more basic stuff like cuts or gashes.

Even though his touch had been light, Sakura whimpered and flinched away from him. "Nng. Stop it." She mumbled, batting his hands away. She rolled over, letting him go.

Kakashi sat up slowly feeling oddly hollow at the loss of her touch. He listened to her breathing deepen before crossing the room on silent feet and stepping into the living room. He needed a minute to gather himself.

Bull's ears twitched and he raised his head as Kakashi came into view, giving him a deep boof of welcome. Kakashi plopped down on the floor next to the dog and settled against him. He leaned against Bull's side, tipping his head back to rest against the dog's body, and allowed himself to be soothed by the gentle rise and fall motion of the large ninken's breathing.

Kakashi was no stranger to cravings of the flesh. He'd sought out, and vice versa, the company of a fair few kunoichi, even some civilian women, for nights of pleasure or stress relief. He was a man after all. But all of those had been for the night only, maybe recurring partners, but never with strings attached. No commitments.

The life of a shinobi was not guaranteed. Not even his. However powerful he may be, there will always be someone stronger or more cunning. In his line of work a simple mistake could mean his life. That's why Kakashi avoided romantic attachments. He'd lost too many friends. It would be much worse if he had to go through losing a life partner. He'd resigned himself to a solitary life, never wanting for _that kind_ of intimacy. The kind where their embrace meant he was home.

And now Kakashi was terrified because that intimacy had found him. He stared at the ceiling. As awkward as the last half hour had been he'd enjoyed holding her and her holding him back, even if she was asleep. Just to feel her holding onto him like she needed him. Sakura had snuck her way into his heart and it appeared that she was there to stay. Now that he was back the thought of being away from her for extended periods of time made him feel uncomfortable. The thought of her being in pain made him feel angry. The thought of her with another man made him feel miserable.

When he closed his eyes and thought about Konoha it was green eyes and pink hair that first came to mind. Even though she'd turned into this mysterious and powerful woman, Sakura was still home. Kakashi had fallen hard without realizing it, too caught up in denial. He hadn't the slightest idea how to go about it.

A wet nose brushed his cheek and Kakashi turned his head to see Bull peering at him mournfully. The bulldog huffed at him in a comforting manner, sensing his human counterpart's inner conflict. Kakashi chuckled softly, mood softening, and reached over to scratch under his chin. "It's almost like you knew I'd need you tonight, bud. Thank you, I'm okay now."

Bull wagged his tail and nudged him happily.

The massive ninken may be the only one in his pack that hadn't learned to speak, but that had never stopped Bull from communicating. Many people believed that the hulking dog was less intelligent for it, but Kakashi had found over the years that Bull was the most emotionally inclined of all his ninken.

Patting Bull in thanks again, Kakashi got up and opened the hallway closet, rifling around for his first aid kit. He would redress her wounds, read a little and then sleep. It had been a long day. He had two weeks off, he could afford to sleep in a little.

He set the kit down on his nightstand and gently turned Sakura over, sitting next to her sleeping self. She'd been sprawled out on her stomach when he reentered the room. It seemed that no matter what he did she would sleep on. Alcohol evidently dulled her shinobi senses.

Kakashi set to work. Opting to avoid declothing her without express permission, he used a small set of medical scissors to widen the tear in her shirt just enough for him to fit his larger hand through. He wiped away the drying blood and applied healing salve for good measure before firmly taping down a fresh gauze pad. Kakashi was so focused on the task at hand that he didn't notice right away the presence of another shinobi appear outside, balanced on the ledge of his bedroom window.

He finished up and packed away the remnants of the supplies he used and set the kit aside. Haltingly Kakashi placed a hand on her cheek, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. This was such a foreign feeling, a newly traveled path for him, to actually allow this affection, this tenderness, to flow through him. It felt like it was melting him away in a wonderful yet scary way... but for her, Kakashi would embrace it.

He leaned down and ever so lightly pressed his lips to her forehead. "Goodnight Sakura." He breathed, drawing in her sweet scent. It was soothing, reminding Kakashi of a warm spring evening.

He took one last look at her, raising his headband so he could commit this to memory. The moonlight spilled over her petite frame, illuminating her pale skin and highlighting the rosy coral of her plush looking lips. Her loosely braided hair trailed down her shoulder, the pink tresses looking downy soft, and her bangs were swirled chaotically around her angelic face. She was the picture of beauty, looking painfully pure.

A shadow crossed over her body quickly, and Kakashi spun around catching a wisp of movement outside his window. He flash stepped over to his window and peered out, but saw nothing. Maybe an owl had flown past.

"Huh?"

His sudden movement seemed to have finally disturbed the sleeping pinkette. Her malachite eyes were open but laughably unfocused, she tried sitting up but slipped back into the bed with a sleepy moan. Kakashi was back at her side in an instant, hushing softly as he sat back down at her side, covering her with his blanket.

She blinked up at him with eyes blurry from sleep and the lingering traces of alcohol in her system. "Mmh, 'Kashi? Why're you in my room?" She mumbled.

A disbelieving snort nearly escaped his lips, and instead Kakashi gave a low hum, voice brimming with amusement. "I'm not."

"Right. That wouldn't make sense," Sakura sighed, green eyes closing again.

He was getting ready to stand up when Sakura grabbed the front of his shirt, having thought she was falling back asleep. Honed reflexes had him grabbing her shoulders as he fell but anything more was futile against the force of her strength as she pulled him down to her level. His body hovered over hers, tense with surprise.

"-cause this is probably a dream." She breathed against his masked lips right before closing the distance between them.

Kakashi's eyes widened in shock and pleasure shot down his spine. He could feel much more of her this time, how pliable and soft her lips were. And how eager. He couldn't halt the growl that sounded from the back of his throat when she tugged on his lower lip with her teeth. He'd never been so divided. Kakashi was spiraling with euphoria at the thought that even in a dream Sakura wanted him this way. Instinct was telling him to sink into her advances, but his conscience reminded him that it would be wrong. If Sakura thought she was dreaming then he shouldn't exploit that. Nothing was worth losing her trust.

"Hey now." He panted softly as she dug her hands into his hair and tried pulling him further into the kiss. He was forced to brace his hands on the bed on either side of her head just to resist her. "Sakura, please." He pleaded.

Thankfully her grip on his hair loosened but he stiffened when she chuckled dryly. "Damn. Not even in my dreams." She settled more comfortably, apparently going back to sleep since this "dream" wasn't going the way she planned.

Did she really think like that? Did she consider him to be unattainable? Kakashi gazed down at her wanting nothing more than to tell her just how wrong she was, but now wasn't the time. She might not even remember if he said anything now.

Instead he leaned down and kissed her cheek, his heart swelling when she sighed contentedly. He waited for her breathing to even out before moving. "You have no idea." He whispered against her skin.

Kakashi carefully got up, making sure not to brush their bodies together. This was the third (maybe the fourth?) erection he'd sported tonight and it felt like the family jewels would shrivel and fall off if he didn't relieve some of this pressure now.

He made his way into the bathroom and decided on a quick shower. Kakashi was coated in a layer of sweat and his clothes were dirty from laying on the ground earlier.

It was decidedly more satisfying, Kakashi discovered, to find release when he didn't entirely hate himself over the object of his desire, this time reveling in thoughts of her scent, and the newer memory of her lips trying to plunder his own. As the shower washed away the traces of his essence he slowly removed his teeth from his arm.

 _Seriously_? He stared at his arm, not even recalling the moment he'd sunk his teeth in. He'd broken the skin. It wasn't bleeding per se but he could see red marking the points where his teeth had dug in the deepest. It was tender to the touch and Kakashi could tell it would be bruised in the morning.

He turned off the shower and stepped out onto cool tile, grabbing his toothbrush to wash out the iron taste on his tongue. Mouth open and toothbrush in hand, he glanced in the mirror. The toothbrush clattered to the sink as he dropped it to inspect his teeth.

"What the fuck?"

**•~•**

Kakashi was laying back on the couch, one leg resting at a right angle over his other knee as he read. He'd slipped into a comfortable pair of dark pants that he'd left on the bathroom floor at one point that were still clean. He'd also taken one of his extra blue masks from the bathroom closet. He hadn't found a clean shirt in the bathroom, but it was fine. Kakashi could do without for one night. For now he just wasn't going anywhere near the bed again in case Sakura woke back up. She was a handsy little minx.

"You've got to be kidding me." Kakashi mumbled around his thumb, gingerly exploring the pointed canines as he leafed through the journal. They'd always been a little pointed but now they were just as defined as any Inuzuka's, if not more. His mask was pooled under his chin to give him access. "I'm thirty years old. This is absurd."

According to a brief chapter in the middle of the little book, what he was experiencing was similar to the Inuzuka version of going through puberty. After seeing himself in the mirror he'd flipped through the book randomly until he found a mention of teeth or fangs because he required an explanation for this bizarre transformation.

_Once Inuzuka boys present, their fangs grow more pronounced and they begin to experience what we call ruts. The girls usually have smaller fangs, but enter heats respectively. Each person seems to have their own cycle. The most common is two or three days a month, but I've heard of many instances where it is every other month, or every few months._

_I've heard my own mother joke about the cycles, dubbing them as the call of the wild. You'll see as you get older that the Inuzuka marry younger than most. Our instincts call us to search out our mates, said instinct usually setting in between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. It's a little hard to explain because it's different for each person, but you'll find yourself drawn to one person above all others. Their scent will draw you to them first though. That's the one thing that always seems to be the same for everyone. After that comes the imprinting, which I'll get into later. I was a late bloomer myself. I first felt the Call when I met Sakumo when I was nineteen._

_So its like a woman's menstrual cycle… but for breeding instincts? And for both genders?_ Kakashi ran a hand through his hair. _That sounds troublesome._

It was interesting enough to read. Emi had recorded everything she knew about Inuzuka physiology and began making assumptions of what might happen if their instincts and abilities were strengthened. Though for at least this part of it, her predictions were a little off. Based on this, he should have gone through this when he was fifteen, not _fifteen years_ _late_. He found himself a little wary of this "Call" too. It was definitely matching up with what he was experiencing, but his mother was making it sound like he wouldn't have a choice in the matter.

As worried as he was with the content, Kakashi had to admit he enjoyed seeing the little quirks in her writing. It gave him insight to her character. Based on the depth of the indentations he could tell that she'd been fairly modest. Whenever something suggestive came into play, like these rut cycles, her pen had pressed rather hard into the page and her normally flowy handwriting would grow tighter, as if writing quickly to get it over with. She was very conversational too, side tracking into personal thoughts often. There were also random marks on the sides of the pages where she seemed to scratch or doodle when she thought about what to write next. Kakashi found it all rather endearing. It was like holding a piece of her.

Kakashi fell asleep with the journal in hand, eyes falling closed as Emi described the habits and etiquette of scent marking. He thought it a little juvenile, the idea that covering something in your scent made it yours. He nodded off with a small frown on his face as he came to understand that earlier Kiba had tried marking her as his own. He'd have to do something about that.

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

It wasn't the sun that woke Sakura. It was a rhythmic thumping close to her head that pounded in time with her hangover throes. She opened her eyes slowly, wincing.

She sat up quickly once she realized she wasn't alone, and her body protested the sudden movement. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized she wasn't in her room. Running a hand over olive green sheets, she turned her head just in time to see a hulking mass of black lunge towards her, knocking her from the bed with a loud bark.

"Bull!" Sakura gasped as she hit the floor. The bulldog stood over her, licking her face as she tried squirming out from underneath him. She couldn't help giggling as she fought off the ninken's affections, wrestling with him good-naturedly, careful not to use too much strength and hurt him. "It's good to see you too, but let me up!" She laughed. It had been a long time since she'd seen Bull.

The dog sat back on his haunches, allowing Sakura to pull herself to her feet. She glanced around the room curiously.

There was an open closet and another open door that she saw led to a bathroom. The third door was closed but probably led to the rest of the abode. There wasn't much else in the room besides basic furniture. The most extravagant thing in here was the bed. Sakura huffed with a mixture of amusement and mild scorn. No one needed a bed that big. It had to be a king size at least. She knew she'd never been here before, but between Bull and the dresser her eyes zeroed in on, it could only belong to one person. Sakura had been in Kakashi's apartment before but never in his room. He really was so private. She picked up the photo, her fingers tracing over what was obviously a young Kakashi.

Apparently he'd been a little on the moodier side as a kid. Her eyes glanced over the Yondaime, absently smirking at the strained smile as he appeared to be dealing with two grouchy young teens. Sakura's eyes slid to the other two in the team photo, wracking her mind for any recognition and came up empty. Whoever they were Sakura had no names to place for them. The girl had shoulder length brown hair and she looked thrilled to be there, smiling widely. The other boy, another brunette, was smirking around some kind of candy. His eyebrows were scrunched angrily but he'd at least managed to make his features more friendly before the photo was snapped, unlike young Kakashi who, to Sakura at least, looked utterly fed up about something. Making sure to return to the exact position she found it in, Sakura put the photo down.

There was another copy of her own team photo which made her smile, but left a regretful pang in her heart. She saw no other pictures. Odd. No family photos? She scanned the walls and saw they were glaringly barren.

There was a glass of water waiting for her on the nightstand alongside a couple of aspirin, and at the foot of the bed there was a neatly folded shirt and a couple of towels.

She drank the water gratefully, but avoided the aspirin, opting to ease the headache herself. Sakura placed glowing palms on her temples and the pounding pressure abated within seconds. Between the incorrigible drinking habits of her shisou and the other jounin, she had hangover cures down to a science.

She spent a few minutes gathering her memories from last night. Nope… Sakura couldn't remember coming here. The last thing she could recall was falling asleep next to the fire. She humphed. That had been careless of her.

Genma had told her time and time again that after a night out drinking almost nothing could wake her when she passed out.

So Kakashi had brought her back to his apartment. He'd put her to bed. Even taken steps to make her morning easier. Sakura smiled fondly.

Old habits die hard it seemed. She remembered back to her early days on team 7, when Kakashi had finally realized what an unorganized bunch she, Naruto and Sasuke were. Most of the time she'd been too concerned with her looks, so determined to have Sasuke's attention, and spent too much time in front of the mirror to have time to eat breakfast.

She grimaced at the memory of her childish vanity, glad that she'd grown out of it. She remembered the exact moment that she had abandoned her naive crush on the lone Uchiha. The day Sasuke abandoned her she decided that she didn't want to depend on him for her own happiness if he could walk away so easily. It was like she'd been freed from heavy chains, a whole world of possibilities at her fingertips. She would stand on her own two feet.

The boys had been hopeless causes as well, but now Sakura understood that it was only because they didn't have anyone checking up on them. Kakashi had pretended to be irritated with them for being so irresponsible but Sakura always thought he'd seemed content. The first day he'd brought them all breakfast had been the first day she remembered seeing him smile. It escalated from breakfast, to bringing them extra supplies on missions, even going so far as to have extra changes of clothes for them. Kakashi had always been ready to take care of them, and he was still doing it.

Sakura grabbed the towels and fresh shirt and made her way into the bathroom. She tried not to snoop but inadvertently ended up looking through his bathroom closet and medicine cabinet, unable to help but try to get a peek into the reclusive shinobi's life. She grinned upon finding a spare copy of _Icha Icha Innocence_ alongside some scented candles and bath salts, tucking away the knowledge that her pervy superior was also apparently a huge sap for another time. She stopped nosing around as soon as she found a box of condoms and cologne, doing her best to control a blush as she slammed the closet door closed and turned to the shower.

She undressed, stopping to inspect the bandage on her shoulder. It was fresh, and taped down a little more haphazardly than what she was capable of. It seemed Kakashi had taken care of this too.

Sakura stepped into the shower and started a scalding stream of water, gasping as her body adjusted to her preferred heat. She wet her hair and after only a moment's hesitation began washing her hair with Kakashi's shampoo. The towels had been a clear invitation to use his shower, he was probably fine with her using his soaps too. It was a little disconcerting to be surrounded by the scent of crushed pine instead of her familiar floral shampoo, but it would suffice for now.

The smell of his soaps tickled her mind insistently.

" _Then what comes to mind when I tell you not to worry about that?"_

_"I sensed I was about to suffer a lapse in judgement, so I removed myself from the problem."_

_"My mother was part of the Inuzaka clan._ "

Sakura blinked, her hands pausing their lathering motions, as she was assaulted by bits of dialogue from last night. That was right, she'd gotten him to talk a bit before falling asleep. So he really was related to the Inuzuka's. She felt a flutter of pride at getting her old sensei to open up a little.

_"You have no idea."_

The words from her dream.

Sakura shook her head, heat flooding her abdomen as last night's dream surfaced fuzzily. She finished rinsing off and got out, wrapping a towel securely around her body.

It had been strangely vivid, his scent, voice and touch coming through with such clarity. Goosebumps rose on her skin and Sakura shivered as a throaty growl echoed in her head. What was wrong with her lately? Her imagination had run wild last night but the accuracy of it all had her burning with embarrassment. Even in her dreams, it's like she knew to her core that Kakashi would never cross that line with her.

Then… why?

 _"You have no idea."_ And it was said so sweetly.

Why would her mind conjure up those words? It didn't follow with the way the dream had gone.

She hurried through getting ready, running fingers through her hair to rid it of unruly tangles. She stole a mouthful of Kakashi's mouthwash, slipping the provided shirt over her head as she swished the minty liquid around her mouth. It was huge. Sakura knew she was small but not this small. The green shirt could easily be a dress on her petite form. Well, maybe the length of dress Ino would wear but still. She put on her leggings but folded her shorts under her arm instead. With this ridiculous shirt no one would be able to tell anyways.

She looked in the mirror, appraising her appearance. She looked like a dork, but that wasn't what drew her gaze. The sleeve length worried her. They only barely covered her ANBU tattoo. Sakura considered just putting her own shirt back on but decided against it. It was dirty and torn, and she didn't want to appear rude. She would just have to be careful.

As she went back into Kakashi's bedroom she saw that Bull was gone. The bedroom door stood hanging open and Sakura could smell eggs and bacon as strongly as if she were standing next to the stove herself. Her stomach growled with approval.

"Good morning." Kakashi said cheerfully as she came into view, giving her that signature eye crinkle smile from behind his mask. His apartment was open concept, only a small bar counter separating the living room from the kitchen. He was standing at the stove in his kitchen, spatula in hand, over a huge pan of eggs stirring it occasionally.

He didn't turn around when Sakura softly entered the kitchen behind him but he tensed, back muscles rippling impressively, and seemed to be sniffing the air.

When he finally turned his head Sakura thought she saw a pleased look of wonder cross his face but it was gone before she could be sure.

"Breakfast is almost done," He said casually, turning back to the food.

Sakura was pretty sure her jaw was on the floor.

Who the hell cooked shirtless!?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the praise and/or roasting begin!! xD ☠


	10. I've Had Worse Mornings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its here!! And I'm not sure you guys are ready lol
> 
> I overdid it again, got to almost 10k and things are spicing up 🍋
> 
> ⚠️ Explicit Sexual Content ⚠️ (All I will say is I had to honor Genma's Birthday 07-17) The POV kind of splits between them, just a warning. Its a little different than how I've been writing things so far, I just couldn't help myself.
> 
> **Oyaji** is an affectionate way of saying "old man" or referring to one's dad. Or so I always thought, correct me if I used it improperly! 😄
> 
>   
> \-----------------------------------------‐----------------

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

This was just too weird.

Sakura chewed on a half piece of bacon pensively, slipping the other half to Bull, whose head was resting in her lap giving her an adoring stare. She stole glances at the shinobi's athletic form whenever he turned away. 

_Won't show me his face but he'll be half naked in front me._..

Not that she was complaining. Sakura had evolved from the inexperienced prude Ino had always teased her of being, completely awakening into a confident, alluring kunoichi. Though it wasn't her career focus anymore, she had been rather successful in the seduction corps. Her near spotless mission record served as proof. She'd done Yuugao proud.

The Kunoichi courses proctored by the purple haired (retired) ANBU op had taught Sakura to be comfortable with all forms of immodesty, so it wasn't that Kakashi leaving himself on display bothered her, it was more that she wasn't prepared for _this_ particular man to this comfortable with _her._

If Sakura had thought Kakashi was handsome before, now all she could think was that he was painfully attractive. 

Kakashi wasn't as bulky as Genma or stocky like Kiba. He was tall and slender, with firm wiry muscle rippling with every movement he made as he cleaned and put away the dishes he'd used to make breakfast. Scars were peppered across the taut porcelain skin but they only served to enhance his appeal. She sucked a breath through her teeth when his hips angled towards her and she was graced with the sculpted 'V' of his lower abdomen. His bottoms were hanging lazily off his hips, giving her a generous peek of silvery hair trailing down towards...

Kakashi cleared his throat and Sakura's face flamed when she realized he'd caught her staring. _Kami, kill me now._ She'd been eyeing him like a meal. She almost felt like Genma. _Keep it in your pants, Sakura._ That damn kiss in the field had forced her to notice him in a sexual light. They hadn't even spoken about it. It wasn't that Sakura thought she was owed one, but Sakura had expected at least an apology from the Copy Nin and yet it had never come. 

"Sorry if Bull woke you, I tried keeping him out of the room but it seems he missed you enough to sneak in after I fell asleep." He had graciously given her a conversational out, sitting down next to her on the couch with a plate balanced on his knee. Kakashi didn't have a kitchen table.

Kakashi shooed Bull away from her when he noticed the ninken was begging for her food, but Sakura stopped him, hugging the dog's massive head. 

"Well of course he missed me. I give him proper attention. Don't I, big guy?" She cooed, tugging his ears gently in a playful display of affection as she pet the large ninken. "You can come see me any time Bull."

The bulldog's eyes closed, enjoying the attention, and he rumbled and barked contentedly in response to her question.

"Careful," Kakashi laughed, "you'll never be able to shake him if you start in like that."

Bull bobbed his head in agreement. 

They were silent for a short while, Sakura keeping her eyes trained on her plate to give him enough time to eat without swallowing it down in a hurry. By the time she turned back his plate was empty and Bull had poofed off, losing interest now that all the food was mostly gone.

"So you can cook?" Sakura asked eventually, raising an eyebrow. Even for just simple eggs and bacon, it was pretty good. The herbs were an interesting touch but not unwelcome and the bacon was perfectly crisp.

"Of course," Kakashi answered mildly, "Where did you think your breakfasts came from those couple years?" His head was cocked to the side questioningly.

Sakura responded sheepishly, "I always thought you bought it."

He reacted in mock offense, shoulders drooping with dejection. "Maa, Sakura I poured my heart into those meals. How could you not know?"

Her eyes rolled but she resisted a snarky response. "Well _this_ is pretty good," she admitted, scooping up the last mouthful of eggs, "can't say I was expecting it though."

"Isn't it common decency to cook a woman breakfast when she stays the night?" Kakashi responded innocently, his visible eye betraying immense enjoyment as Sakura nearly spat out her food at the dirty joke.

She stared at him and Kakashi chuckled deeply in response, his one charcoal eye not leaving her. 

_He's acting different._

If Sakura didn't know any better she might think Kakashi was flirting with her. All she _did_ know was that the way he was looking at her put butterflies in her stomach. She sat with bated breath as he leaned towards her, slowly and deliberately invading her space.

His cheek brushed firmly against her own as he spoke directly into her ear in a deep husky tone that mirrored the one he used last night. The one that made her stomach clench. 

"I knew green would be a good color for you. But it's my shirt that brings all the charm."

 _What in the world is going on_ ? **_Is_ ** _he flirting with me?_ Sakura's mind was raging as she sat frozen. She hadn't put any significance to wearing Kakashi's clothes, it had just been a clean and not shredded shirt. She'd read it in plenty of romance novels before that men liked that sort of thing but she hadn't thought to apply that to Kakashi. Now all she could do was replay this morning in her head. She'd slept in his bed. She had used his shower, she was wearing his _clothes_ while he sat next to her with a near criminal half naked beauty. None of that spelled innocence, just how daft was she? The sinful anticipation in her gut bared its teeth defiantly at the flashing claws of reason. Sakura didn't know which one was winning when Kakashi finally pulled away.

His face didn't match the voice he'd just used. It was relaxed, an easy smile pulling at his mask, his eye closing with a cheerful air.

"Just kidding." He said lightly, sitting back nonchalantly with arms crossed behind his head and that goofy smile on his face.

Prankster Kakashi had made an appearance today.

She was flushed for another reason now. Of course he hadn't meant it. Indignation quickly burned away her embarrassment, and apparently, her propriety. He'd teased her like this last night too, hinting at a "lapse of judgement". She wasn't a play thing, and Kami help her, she could not stand not being taken seriously. If Kakashi wanted to play dirty then he better be ready to reap what he sowed.

With reflexes worthy of her ANBU title she was in his lap before the unsuspecting shinobi could blink. She was careful to keep her hips up off of his as she leaned forward and pinned his hands to the wall by the wrists, but to do what she wanted to make her point her whole torso was flush against his. 

She mirrored the action he'd used against her moments ago, letting her cheek slide past his on her way to his ear.

"Isn't it _common decency_ not to tease a lady who could snap you in half if she felt like it?" She said in a breathless voice, in part from her kunoichi training, but Sakura couldn't deny that part of it came from the thrill of her daring. 

The seductress in her purred contentedly as she pulled back and took in his strained expression. Her words were a little exaggerated but she was depending on their effect. To her Kakashi seemed like a man who would appreciate a more dominating figure, with his lazy demeanor and all. Sakura wasn't entirely confident that she could take a decisive victory from Kakashi in a one on one spar, but she knew she could at the very least give him a run for his money.

The easy smile was gone, replaced with a stiffened jaw and his eye was narrowed shrewdly. There was a flicker of something dark in them that swiftly melted into surprise when Kakashi pulled on his hands and found that he couldn't move. The elusive shinobi was no match for her polished strength once caught.

"Sakura…" Kakashi said through gritted teeth, in warning.

The kunoichi felt another flash of anger. Did he seriously have the gall to tell her that it was fine for him to tease her but wrong when she did the same? She scooted forward so that her hips rested on his stomach, shifting her hands so that his two were pinned in only one of her own. 

"Kakashi?" Sakura responded cheekily, staring him down defiantly. She trailed a finger down his chest but her eyes never left him, their gazes battling for dominance. As far as the man beneath her knew, they were equals. Her true station didn't matter to her now. No matter how many rules she was breaking by using seduction techniques on a ranking superior, she would not let him treat her like a child. She'd accomplished too much. Her pride wouldn't allow it.

It was like a switch had flipped inside her former sensei. Her eyes widened in shock as she was hit with the same scent from last night. There was no question now, it was definitely his. 

_But my nose isn't enhanced right now! This shouldn't be possible..._

A deep rasping growl sounded in his chest that made her heart and core throb in unison. A sound like that only had one purpose: an overwhelming assertion of dominance.

Arousal slammed into her like one of Rock Lee's roundhouse kicks. She was captivated by the look in his eye. Heated, angry, piercing. 

"Let me up." The words were soft. Dangerous. 

She scrambled off of him quickly, taking several steps back into the living room. She watched as he stood and stalked towards her. The purpose behind his step had her taking steps back in unison until her back brushed against the wall. Her heart beat furiously as he closed in on her, feeling like a rabbit under a wolf's hungry stare, but instead of feeling fear Sakura was enraptured. Was that normal? She didn't know. She'd never felt intensity like this before. It was so very wrong of her to be this turned on right now but maybe that's why it felt so good. 

Despite the powerful aura he was giving off, the hands that trailed her waist were unfathomably gentle. And hot? Literally. Kakashi's hands felt feverish, nearly searing her skin through the oversized shirt. At her muffled moan of surprise he pressed forward, one knee falling into place between her legs. Then his head dropped onto her shoulder and she felt his chest expand as he inhaled deeply. A guttural groan tore from his throat on the exhale and Sakura's entire body quaked in response. Her hands twitched at her sides wanting to touch his skin but unsure if she should. He almost sounded like he was in pain. His masked lips ghosted over her throat, hot breath bursting over the sensitive skin, the hands on her waist trembling. 

"Ka- kakashi?" She managed to stutter out, unsure of his intentions. A darker, wilder part of her was thrilled with his response. Her body burned for him, preening at the idea that she might be capable of seducing the strongest shinobi she knew, but Sakura had only wanted to make a point. She hadn't meant for it to go this far. She shouldn't let it go further… right?

At the sound of her voice Kakashi froze and then he was several feet away, his one eye wide and chest heaving. She sagged as some of the tension left her spine, and ignored the ache of disappointment that settled at the apex of her thighs. 

Her breath caught as she caught the look on his face. He looked incredibly conflicted and confused, but mostly ashamed. She'd never seen him so openly expressive. She wondered if he even knew.

"I'm sorry, I-" Kakashi said roughly and turned away from her curious gaze, "I don't know what that was." He stood with his back to her.

He seemed to be struggling intensely with something and Sakura stepped towards him, intending to comfort him and apologize. Now that she wasn't angry anymore, Sakura realized the position she'd just put him in as her former sensei.

"Don't." Kakashi said shortly, without turning his head.

Sakura's throat constricted as she stopped in place, hanging her head in shame. Kakashi's reaction was clear. She'd made a mistake. 

Yamato was right, she was still letting her insecurities get the better of her.

It wasn't Kakashi's fault that he knew nothing of the person she was now, the weapon she'd become. It wasn't exactly hers either, it was just politics. His departure back into jounin service might have been a contributing factor to the series of events that pushed her into this life, but that didn't mean he bore the responsibility for everything that came after. That wasn't his problem. 

She should have known their friendship couldn't handle something like this. They'd only just started getting used to being around each other again. Sakura knew they got along alright but she'd never quite had the bond with Kakashi that Sasuke and Naruto had. Anxiety pooled in her chest. She should leave before she made things any worse.

Sakura turned, ready to go, when a warm calloused hand caught her arm.

"Don't."

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

  
  


The young man took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door. 

He wasn't sure what troublesome nonsense he'd been thrust in the middle of and he wasn't anxious to find out, but it was inevitable. Oh to be one of Lady Hokage's assistants.

He knew Sakura was inside. He'd watched her get carried in on his way home from work last night. He'd switched shifts with another shinobi in return for a favor, taking the dreaded night shift of filing the unending pile of mission reports that came to Hokage tower, so it was incredibly late by the time he meandered his way home, too lazy to rush. 

It was her choice for whoever's company she chose, he knew that, but his intellectual mind knew that this one would cause waves throughout the village if it got out. He personally didn't care as long they treated her respectfully. He just hoped she knew what she was doing. 

Stifling a groan of reluctance, he rapped sharply on the door three times before stuffing his hands deep into his pockets with a heavy sigh. After this he could go home for a much needed nap.

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

  
  


Kakashi had greatly underestimated these new changes in his body. His body was just as feverish as last night, if not more. 

He'd already deduced that she'd completed the advanced seduction courses when he discovered that she'd done seduction-assassinations; the advanced course was a requirement to be certified for those missions, he'd had to complete them himself at one point. It wasn't often that a seduction mission that required a male came up, but it still happened every now and then. 

So he _knew_ what her body was capable of, but sweet Sage, Kakashi hadn't expected a demonstration. Her sudden display of sensuality had completely blind sided him. Her body was so soft but firm, it was just so _Sakura_. He'd been able to feel the toned muscles of her thighs gripping his sides and her firm abdomen flat against his chest. Oh but her hands… He'd heard the stories about her strength training with Tsunade through the general gossip of other shinobi, but this was the first time he'd witnessed it for himself. The fact that she could overpower him, Kakashi didn't think he'd ever find something like that so erotic.

That strength paired with the fierce look in her eyes that Kakashi had seen and admired so many times, the one that proudly declared her determination to overcome any obstacles, had transformed her into the most _breathtakingly_ _beautiful_ woman he'd ever seen in his life.

It was like a dam had burst in his body. An animalistic need to feel her come undone under his hands had surged up within him so powerfully that Kakashi lost sense of himself, all rational thought gone. Was this the Call? Her nervous voice calling his name had somehow been able to break him out of the senseless lust, just long enough for him to create some distance.

And now he couldn't even look at her. His hands shook. Her scent was everywhere… The pulsing heat of her neck was beckoning him. He felt it this time, a conscious desire to bite into something. There was a beast inside howling its desire to take, to mark, _to claim_ . Nausea swept through him. He didn't want it. Well he did, just not like this. Kakashi nearly choked on the disgust that welled up in his throat. It was like the monster he always thought he was had actually manifested inside him. He didn't want to _claim_ Sakura, he wanted to… Kakashi's thoughts faltered as he came to those next words but he grabbed onto them fervently because they helped to center him. 

He wanted to love her. Kakashi loved her. He'd not admitted that to himself until now.

Kakashi heard her take a step in his direction.

"Don't." He said. It came out rougher than he intended but he needed her to listen. If she came any closer, he was afraid of what he might do. Kakashi was still fighting the beast inside that was clawing at him, demanding to be let out. Loathing threatened to engulf him as he battled with it.

Her anxious scent filled the air like a gust of wind, chasing away the heady fog that shrouded his thoughts, calling him back to reality. Suddenly it was like the hackles of the beast had settled, discontent with her pain.

Interesting. 

A glimmer of hope rose cautiously in his chest. Did a protective nature run hand in hand with the possessive one with the Inuzuka genetics? Surely this meant control was a possibility. He needed to finish reading that journal right away. Kakashi obviously didn't know enough to handle himself properly and he didn't want Sakura in the crossfire if he failed.

Ignoring the intoxicating scent of her arousal tested the limits of Kakashi's sanity so he took a deep calming breath. Knowing that her body wanted him was slowly driving him insane, so he instead focused on the bitter scent of her anxiety and remorse. She must be really upset, he'd never been able to smell the emotions of anyone other than Inuzaka before. He couldn't let her leave feeling like that, grabbing her wrist as gently as he could. 

"Don't," Kakashi said again, softer this time, wincing at how needy he sounded.

She stopped moving but didn't look at him. That made his heart drop. This was all his fault. He'd provoked this. 

Kakashi had finally understood the merits of scent-marking when Sakura emerged from his bedroom with her scent mixed with what he at least associated his scent to be. Surreal was the only way to describe the sense of belonging that had enveloped him then, like her accepting his scent meant she accepted him. Joy blossomed in him so strongly that he practically had to curb stomp the urge to scoop her up and embrace her. That surreal feeling had shattered Kakashi's discipline, making him complacent, and he found himself lost in the desire to formulate a sense of intimacy with Sakura in whatever way he could. Teasing her the way he did had obviously been the wrong choice, but by the time he figured that out, hell had broken loose.

"You don't have to go," He tried again, "I'm fine now, this isn't your fault."

" _Not my fault_?" Sakura repeated tersely, finally looking at him. The eyes staring up at him were filled with skepticism. "How is this not my fault Kakashi? How could you even want me to stay after what I just did?" Her voice continued to raise, frustration seeping into her sentiments, "I crossed so many lines just now. And what the hell is going on with your scent, damn it? I'm not even using any jutsu, and I can barely think with it here!"

Each question seemed to pummel the air from his lungs as firmly as one of her punches. How could he answer her when even _he_ didn't fully understand what was happening. He couldn't possibly until he finished the damn book. He didn't know enough to explain it properly, it wouldn't sound right and she'd probably never speak to him again. Kakashi's mouth went dry thinking about it. 

This physiological change was more than he bargained for when he'd decided to pursue his feelings. Now that Kakashi knew just exactly what the kekkei suimin had bred him into, he was once again questioning if he should pursue Sakura. 

What had stopped him before was his darkness, but now a beast prowled inside that darkness. If he truly loved her would he subject her to all of that?

He should let it go, but not yet. He couldn't let her go yet.

A vague truth was better than the reality for now.

"It's not your fault because you didn't know." Kakashi croaked. "It's only side effects from a newly developed condition."

He watched her facial expression change immediately. The stress lines disappeared as it went from upset to clerical. "A medical condition? Kakashi, why didn't you just say so? Let me take a look. When did it start?" Chakra began glowing on her palms, causing him to release her as he took a couple steps back. 

"No, that's not necessary." He said smoothly, disguising growing panic and raising his hands in defense. "It's being taken care of, I just had a lapse is all." That part wasn't quite true but he couldn't let her touch him. The heat inside him was easing once more and Kakashi felt almost normal again. Her chakra had always felt different compared to the other medics, warm and soothing. He was fearful that if he felt it now he would lose the footing he'd just gained. 

Sakura's eyes narrowed and Kakashi knew she was about to force the issue when a sharp knocking sounded at his door. Silently sending a word of thanks to Kami above, he shot passed her and opened the door, ignoring her sound of protest.

"Shikamaru?" 

The Nara genius was probably the last person he'd been expecting. He'd become a lanky little thing, nursing a slouch that disguised both his full height and capability. Kakashi knew better than to underestimate the lazy slant of the young man's eyes, fully aware that this was a shinobi who was always several steps ahead of his enemies. 

Shikamaru's eyes flicked over his shoulder to Sakura, a slight raise of his eyebrows betraying some unknown emotion on his face. He didn't seem surprised to see her there.

"Hey. May I come in?" The shadow user requested politely. 

"Eh? Of course." Kakashi responded with equal formality, stepping aside to let him through.

"Got a summons order for you, Kakashi-san." The younger man said, holding out a scroll. 

Kakashi took it from him. "A mission?" He asked curiously. He thought he was off the roster for a couple weeks.

Shikamaru shook his head with a wry smile, "Nah. Hokage-sama still has you benched. You were requested to help out with a couple genin teams for extra training. They're waiting for you on one of the training grounds. Grounds eleven I think." 

The silver haired shinobi felt a minor flash of irritation. He didn't have time for this, he had his own stuff to deal with at the moment. But the scroll in his hand had the Hokage's seal on it so he couldn't blow it off. Pissing off Tsunade any further would only serve to make things worse for him. 

"Thanks. I'll make my way over soon." He sighed.

Shikamaru nodded to him and turned his lazy eyes Sakura, "Dad's looking for you. He's itching to start your training."

"Shit, I forgot." The pinkette hummed. "I guess he _did_ say as soon as I was back."

"He meant it too, you better hurry home."

Kakashi's mind leapt with curiosity. Why would Sakura be training with Shikaku? He quickly broke down the short interaction. The two had spoken very informally, exposing that they were on close terms. With the way his hormones were he was surprised when no spark of jealousy stirred in him. Maybe it was because of Shikamaru's laid-back nature, Kakashi mused, or that he didn't seem to care that Sakura was in another man's apartment.

"I'll see you there then, I'll be home in an hour, maybe two. Oh, and remind Oyaji that training me won't be as easy as training you," She told him with a devious smirk, " _I'm_ not a slacker."

 _Oyaji? Ah._ _Well, that answers that._ Kakashi thought. 

"Yeah yeah." Shikamaru grumbled, giving the pair one last look before slouching out the door. "Later Sakura, Kakashi-san." 

As soon as the raven haired messenger was down the hallway, Kakashi shut the door and turned to look at her with a growing smile. All he needed now was a confirmation. "So you're living with the Nara's?" 

It was a relief to a concern that he hadn't even been conscious of. She hadn't been alone after losing it all, like he'd been. There had been someone supporting her. At least he knew where she lived now.

He gulped as Sakura ignored his question and pinned him with an angry glare. 

"Why did you open the door, do you have any idea what that looked like?" She hissed, gesturing between his bare chest and her oversized attire. "If that had been _anyone_ other than Shikamaru, the whole village would be talking about it by lunch."

"But it's already noon." He interrupted impishly.

His skin prickled deliciously at the furious look in her eyes, the telltale twitch of the vein on her temple informing him that she wasn't impressed with his antics, but he shoved it down. Why did her anger affect him like this? Though her question left him a little ruffled. Admittedly, in his relief to escape her medical probing he'd forgotten that he was only half dressed. He knew she had a point but it nettled him to think that she'd be bothered by being seen with him. Kakashi didn't exactly think himself a prize but the implication behind her words smarted his usually dormant ego. 

Sakura wasn't done with her rant. "I know you're not my sensei anymore so it's not like there are any rules against it _now_ , but people like to talk! Think of the rumors it could have caused. You could get put under investigation, your reputation would be on the line, maybe even your career."

Kakashi relaxed. She was only thinking of him. He understood what she was referencing, it had crossed his mind once before. If they entered a public relationship of any kind so soon after their professional relationship had ended, some people might think he'd groomed her for it while she was his student, which was a serious offense. It was a fair concern, but one that he'd brushed off easily back then, not having any intention of ever beginning a relationship with the young kunoichi. But now with his change of heart, even if it came to an investigation Kakashi knew he'd come back spotless. He'd never tried anything of the sort. His career would survive, and if people wanted to talk, let them talk. In truth, when it came to his time as her sensei Kakashi felt as though he'd hardly mentored her at all. He'd spent too much of his focus on Naruto and Sasuke. Something he thought back on with a fair bit of guilt, but it made her advancements all the more impressive in his eyes. She'd become a formidable kunoichi without his help. 

He waved dismissively trying to lighten the mood, "You let me worry about my reputation. I've never cared what people think of me." He strode past her to his room to grab a shirt, tugging it over his head. He fought a smile when he turned around and saw that she had followed him. It was almost like she was gravitating towards him. They were only a few feet apart.

"You'd care this time." Sakura insisted stubbornly. Her arms were crossed over her chest.

"You think so?" His gaze swept over her. He could feel himself growing warm again but it was the gentlest that it's been thus far. Her concern had the beast in him purring. 

Her eyebrows furrowed, and he could see her biting the inside of her cheek as she nodded firmly. He could practically see the questions swimming in those jade pools as she tilted her head back to look up at him. He was surprised that she wasn't more angry with him. 

Kakashi stifled a chuckle. She clearly wanted to know why he wasn't more upset with the situation. He thought she knew how to look underneath the underneath, but to be fair he was far too good at remaining unseen. He couldn't yet bring himself to admit anything outright, but Kakashi also didn't want to hide from her anymore.

"You have no idea."

He wasn't sure what prompted him to repeat the words he'd used last night, but considering her reaction, he was certain they got the result he was going for. 

It was almost immediate. Sakura's eyes widened and her face coloured until it matched her hair as her eyes flicked from his bed back to his face, mortified realization written all over her face. He was too busy watching her face to see the hand signs she formed and then she was gone. She'd teleported out. 

Okay, maybe he'd enjoyed that a little too much. _Let's see what she makes of that._

What happened now was in the hands of fate, or more accurately, in the small deadly hands of a beautiful, devastating, fiery, pink haired kunoichi.

How she reacted when he next saw her would tell him if he should move on or move forward. 

He was desperately hoping for the latter. 

  
  


**~•~•~•~•~•~**

  
  


Sakura reappeared in the spanse of woods behind Hokage tower. In her panicked flight she'd almost teleported right into the tower. Almost. 

Only ANBU had clearance for that. Something in the design of their tattoos gave them a bypass around the tower's barrier alarm. Anyone without the tattoo would set it off, so if she had teleported in without the alarm going off and someone happened to see, there would've been hell to pay.

Sakura couldn't believe it. It hadn't been a dream. She'd kissed Kakashi, and she might have done more if he hadn't stopped her. He knew that she found him attractive enough to fool around with. She felt ready to bury herself out of embarrassment, but she paused.

He found her attractive too, he all but said it. He'd _wanted_ to kiss her last night. _"You have no idea."_

And… and he'd said it again. He wouldn't care if the village suddenly started squawking about them like they were lovers? Sakura was conflicted about how that made her feel, because it should probably bother her but it didn't. In fact it made her stomach flutter rather pleasantly. Did that mean his advances earlier had been serious? If they were serious and he didn't care about public opinion, why did he stop? And how did a medical condition tie into that equation?

"Fuck!" Sakura allowed herself to groan aloud. Too many questions, not enough answers.

Her fists itched. She wanted to break something to relieve this pressure in her chest but refrained. The rumble of earth shattering force so close to Hokage tower would just be begging for an ANBU team to inspect the commotion, and she wasn't in the mood to deal with that right now. 

Instead she took a calming breath and put on her shorts and used her hair elastic to tie Kakashi's shirt to an acceptable length. Now she looked almost normal, minus the fact that she was barefoot. She'd left so quickly she forgot her shoes.

She'd have to go back for them at some point but Sakura couldn't bring herself to do it now. Not after she'd run from him like that. 

Gritting her teeth, Sakura applied a thin layer of chakra to the bottom of her feet and made her way to the tower entrance. She passed a few people coming and going on their business but if they had any comment on her state of dress they smartly kept to themselves about it. 

She was just thinking about how to deal with Shikamaru when she approached the main doors to Hokage tower. Sakura knew he hated drama and would keep to himself, but that last look her adoptive brother had given her before leaving had said that he had a few things to say about it. 

"Anou, Sakura-senpai?" A feminine voice called out to her.

Sakura stumbled a little. There were only a handful of people who called her that, and it always caught her off guard. She turned to see a familiar woman with silky brown hair tied back in a ponytail. It was Kiba's older sister.

"Hana." Sakura said with a friendly smile. Even though the Inuzuka heiress had a five year lead on her, she still called her senpai on account of her skill in the medical field. Hana was a medic too, though her focus was more centered on veterinary skills. "I told you before you don't have to call me that, it makes me nervous."

Hana was staring at her wordlessly, and Sakura's smile faltered. The brunette shook herself when she noticed Sakura's discomfort. "Forgive me Sakura, its a bit of a habit ever since your demonstration at the hospital."

"It's okay." Sakura said, eyeing her as she came closer. The older woman seemed uncharacteristically agitated about something, her nostrils flaring. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine." Hana responded, reaching out a hand and pointing a finger at her right shoulder. Her dark eyes were flooded with a deep concern. "I'm sorry if this is rude, but where did you get that wound?" 

Sakura traced the bite marks listlessly, eyes widening with surprise. "This? Ah, it's from a run in with the Akatsuki a few days back. It was partially chakra-infused so I have to let it heal naturally, I'm sorry if the scent bothers you." 

"Oh! No, no. It's okay." Hana said quickly, looking immensely relieved about something. "I'm sorry that you've been hurt, I hope it heals well. Excuse me, I'm late for a meeting." She started making her way down the steps, calling over her shoulder. "You should come by sometime, Kiba really misses you!"

At the mention of the younger Inuzuka, Sakura's eye twitched. He really needed to get a grip if it was getting all the way back to his older sister. But rather than bother the other medic with her irritation Sakura smiled and waved a goodbye before whirling around and making her way towards Tsunade's office.

She planned to request a few of days off so she could train more efficiently with Shikaku, she wanted to show her adoptive father her dedication to her family name.

No one tried to stop her when she entered Tsunade's office so Sakura knew she wasn't meeting with anyone at the moment.

"Shisou?" Sakura said. Tsunade was face down on her desk, a bottle gripped in her hand.

Sighing heavily Sakura stepped around her desk and pulled the bottle from her hand. The busty blonde groaned and tried taking it back without even lifting her head.

"Tsunade-sama, its hardly past noon." Sakura said in a mildly patronizing tone. She was one of the few who could get away with speaking in such a way to the lady kage.

"I had a meeting with Danzo and the council, have signed about fifty documents, and then participated in a rather frustrating discussion with one of the clan heads all just this morning," Tsunade grumbled, reaching again for the bottle with a sharp raise of her eyebrows when she finally sat up. "Might as well be evening for all I've dealt with today."

Without another word of protest Sakura returned the sake. It was a small price to pay if it meant Tsunade continued working with killing someone.

Her mouth opened, preparing her request on her tongue when Tsunade waved a hand. "Its already taken care of, Shikamaru already turned in a formal request for you this morning. You've got three days, I won't slot you for any missions unless it's a medical emergency."

Gratitude towards Shikamaru swept up in Sakura. He really was always several steps ahead. The warm feeling was short lived.

Tsunade was looking her over with a deeply amused expression, cheeks pink from the liquor, "That's a man's shirt isn't it. So which lucky guy did you abandon just to come up here to ask me for time off?"

Sakura flushed and mumbled something unintelligible while Tsunade began roaring with laughter.

"You're not even wearing shoes! A drunken mistake? Who was it?" She wheezed between guffaws, "Oh, I don't think you've ever been more my apprentice than right now."

"Lady Tsunade!" An appalled shout. Shizune had entered the room. "Where did you get that? I just took away the other!" She marched over and snatched the bottle off the desk.

"You have a conference with the Hyuga Hiashi in twenty minutes, compose yourself!" Shizune hissed. She glanced at Sakura with an apologetic look, having heard enough the conversation to feel sorry for her. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I only stepped out for a half hour. We're going to need the room though, Lord Hyuga didn't seem very happy."

"Fine by me." Sakura grunted, still miffed from Tsunade's jabs, and quickly made for the exit before the distinguished Godaime could make any more comments on her sex life.

**•~•**

No sooner did Tsunade's office door slide shut behind her when a strong pair of arms curled around her waist and yanked her to the side. It would have been very dark if not for one thin beam of light shining through a slit on the wall.

It was a small space, hardly bigger than a broom closet. Even though she'd never before seen the inside of one Sakura knew this must be one of the tokubetsu sentry spaces. The Hokage was always under guard. 

And there was only one person Sakura knew who had the balls to pull a stunt like this.

"Gen, what the fuck? You're on shift." Sakura hissed, scandalized, into a firm shoulder as her captor turned and pressed her back into the wall. 

She heard a mask clatter to the floor before a familiar pair of lips found her own, a skillful tongue coaxing her mouth to open for him. 

Sakura couldn't help it, she moaned, still wound too tightly from this morning. The ache between her legs returned with a fiery vengeance, pining for the sizable erection she could feel coming to life against her stomach. 

His lips trailed down her neck and nibbled just under the edge of her jaw the way she liked, smirking when a small first curled into the front of his fitted ANBU vest, the other tugging into his hair viciously, forcing his lips to separate from her sweet skin with a small groan. His cock was now straining against its confines. He loved it when she did that.

"You're lucky I'm in the mood or I'd be kicking your ass for pulling something so reckless." She growled, the threat losing some of its effect as she rolled her body forward searching for friction against his body.

Genma wasn't on shift anymore actually, he'd been relieved by another shinobi a half hour ago, but had told Raidou he'd wait another hour for him to get off. It was fun to let her keep thinking that was the case though. He'd overheard her meeting with Tsunade and he'd become rather curious. He could smell men's body wash on her, and it was familiar but Genma couldn't quite place it.

"So."

Sakura shivered at the honeyed tone, oozing with devilish intent. Two hands ran up her waist, not unlike Kakashi's had earlier, pressure increasing as they found her pert breasts, much _un_ like Kakashi's had, and began kneading the soft mounds.

"Who _does_ this shirt belong to?"

"None of your business." Sakura retorted.

He paused at the veiled bite in her tone, swallowing the bile of envy that rose in his throat. She was right. It wasn't his business, but that was his own fault.

"You're right." He hummed. "Let's not think about them anyways. I'm here now." A boyish grin tugged the corners of his mouth when she shivered in response. He pulled the offensive shirt from her body, relishing in the newfound ability to undress her, and expertly plucked at the hardened buds through her bindings, drawing a muted cry from the rosette.

"Mmm, no, I want to hear you." Genma growled, dropping to his knees as he slipped her shorts down her muscular thighs until she remained only in her leggings.

"Someone _else_ might hear." Sakura panted above him as he guided her thighs over his shoulders, leaning her back against the wall for additional support. She squirmed as his hot breath reached her through the material, his mouth less than inches away from where she wanted him most.

Genma made a noise of amusement. "Seals." He said simply, before licking the already sticky black material. He groaned as the sweet flavor of her slick burst across his taste buds and knew she'd been wet for some time now. "Whoever it was didn't take care of you properly. We should really do something about that," He purred, rubbing two fingers teasingly over her aching heat before pulling them away again.

There were several of these rooms scattered throughout the tower, all them warded with concealment seals. Each tokubetsu ANBU who used them could adjust each one to their needs -sight, scent, sound- though Genma had never used them for something like this before.

"Shiranui, if you don't stop playing games-" Sakura moaned, hips thrusting to try and chase his fingers.

_Well who am I to leave a lady wanting?_

Genma ripped through the crotch of her leggings before she could finish and lunged forward, drawing the flat of his tongue over her swollen nub before sucking on it harshly. Her keening cry was music to his ears, her thighs nearly crushing his neck as she tried pulling him closer. He grunted, placing his hands on the smooth expanse of skin to both relieve the pressure on his neck and hold her open for him so he could delve his tongue into her heat. He let his nose brush the sensitive bundle of nerves, lapping at her dripping heat languidly and savoring her womanly flavor. He felt a twinge of satisfaction. There were no lingering traces of latex disrupting her taste, nor any fluid but her own. Wherever she'd gone last night, the encounter had been more innocent than what Sakura and himself usually got up to. His member twitched insistently in his pants, but he only adjusted it and ignored it for now.

Genma pleasure rule number one, the woman should always climax first. Not only was it polite, but it always left the woman more sensitive, more likely to cum again once he was inside. There was no feeling he loved more than the feel of Sakura's spasming walls clenching down on his cock.

Sakura _whines_ when she finally feels the brunette's tongue dip into her heat. She'd been feeling too empty, her inner muscles working trying to clench down on nothing. Several minutes pass and all there was to be heard was her muffled cries of pleasure and the wet slurping of the senbon user feasting on her body. She could feel a chord in her stretching tight, and it was like Genma knew exactly what song to play. 

Two long fingers replaced his tongue, his thumb pressing down firmly into her sensitive pearl so that he could watch as he stroked her to the finish.

Sakura's eyes found his face. His smile was dark and salacious as he smirked up at her, but his eyes- oh they sang of a wicked satisfaction because Sakura knew Genma knew exactly what he was doing to her.

"So perfect," He crooned up at her without stopping his movements, "Are you ready, sweetheart? Keep being good for me and cum, okay?" He punctuated the command with a curl of his fingers, almost as if he were trying to touch the thumb on her clit to the fingers that were sunk into her, simultaneously stimulating the two most sensitive points of her womanhood.

Sakura's legs trembled as the cord finally snapped. "Fuck~ ah, Genma!" She sobbed. Her hands gripped his chestnut locks tightly as her stomach undulated, waves of pleasure crashing through her core to the rest of her body, her inner walls gripping his fingers, her essence dripping down his fingers to his tanned wrist.

It hadn't taken Genma long to figure out that she liked being praised. The very first time he'd told her how good she felt, her eyes had nearly rolled back into her head the orgasm had been so intense.

Now as she floated down from her high Sakura felt him gently untangle her legs from his shoulders, murmuring sweet nothings as he lowered her to the floor, positioning her on her knees. As Genma relieved her of the rest of her clothes and stripped himself, she on instinct reached blindly for something to cushion her face with, knowing from past experience that her arms wouldn't support her long enough for him to finish. She pulled something soft towards her, bunching it in her fingers in preparation. 

Genma groaned as Sakura pressed back eagerly against his waiting cock, wetting the tip on her dripping folds. He dug his fingers into her hips to hold her still. "Not so fast." He chuckled. She whimpered in protest.

There was something intoxicating about a woman of her caliber consenting to these carnal experiences with him. That Sakura, who could use the arsenal that was her body to end lives and shatter mountains, would use it instead to drive them both towards pleasure.

"Please, I need to feel you." She gasped out. 

"And you will, Petal, but let me savor it." He chided, playfully sliding his aching length between her lower lips, fully coating himself in the remains of her climax. She kept shifting her hips, trying to entice him to stop teasing her. Genma chuckled at her lusty ardor and gave in, slowly easing his impressive member halfway into the greedy heat. He couldn't have resisted her for much longer anyways.

He didn't move for a moment, moaning lowly as her velvet walls fluttered around him, squeezing tightly. A hiss of pleasure escaped his lips as Sakura spread her legs wider and rolled her hips back on him, fully submerging his cock into her throbbing center. Sakura looked back at him, giving him a clear view of her victorious smile, and gave an impish wiggle of her hips that made his hips buck involuntarily.

"Is that so?" Genma growled, with an inward grin. She was every bit the vixen that her mask detailed. Sakura loved provoking him, and he loved it when she did. "You want it that bad, fine."

He snapped his hips forward and began a punishing pace, throaty moans and pants falling from both of them, echoing around the small space. He had delayed his own pleasure for too long. Judging by the tingling at the base of his spine, Genma knew he would cum almost as soon as Sakura did. 

Sakura's arms gave out the moment Genma folded himself over her back, kissing at the back of her neck, one hand trailing around her waist to tug firmly on the rosy peaks of her nipples. The change in angle pulled Genma deeper into her, drawing an appreciative moan from her at just how full she felt. Her face buried into the soft material still clenched in her fingers. The scent of pine invaded her nostrils and for just one moment it wasn't the familiar muscled brunette thrusting into her, but a wiry, chiseled figure with unruly silver hair. The image disappeared as Genma's fingers dropped down and circled her clit with unyielding intensity, the action alone suddenly pushing her over the edge. It came out of nowhere. Green eyes shot open as her orgasm shocked through her like a lightning bolt, her wail acting as the following thunder in the storm of white hot bliss.

"Oh gods, Sakura." Genma choked out as she closed around him like a vice. He pulled her to his chest and sat back, wrapping one arm around her slender waist and the other across her chest to anchor himself as he desperately thrust upwards into her spasming cunt, nearly roaring as he tumbled into release after her, his forehead pressing between her shoulder blades as her body milked his seed for all his worth.

Genma was always slow to soften so they stayed like that for a moment, his fingers rubbing soothing circles on her hips. They both gave a final moan as he finally softened enough to slip out of her dripping entrance, his spend spilling down both of their thighs.

"Come over tonight." Sakura heard him mumble against her shoulder. "Not done with you yet."

"I'm not sure if I can." Sakura breathed, smiling when he grumbled protestingly. "I don't know exactly what training with Shikaku will entail." 

She stood on shaky legs, and slipped back into her torn leggings, scoffing at the gaping hole before pulling on her shorts over it. "You owe me a new pair of leggings."

"Yes ma'am." Genma said dutifully, though it was tinged with impertinence. Adding under his breath as he pulled on his own clothes, "Worth it." 

She smacked his arm lightly, and he smirked in response. 

"If I can, I will. But if midnight passes and I'm not there it's because I fell asleep." Sakura compromises. She looks at the ground at their combined mess. They shouldn't leave it, Sakura wouldn't put it past ANBU to run a test on it. That would make for a very uncomfortable disciplinary meeting. 

"Don't worry, I'll get it." Genma told her, following her eyes. Gentle fingers traced her clan symbol. It was his second time seeing it, and he thought it suited her well. "Your family's waiting." 

He watched as she pulled the oversized shirt back over her head. He knows he's seen it somewhere but it won't come to him. Its with a reputation to maintain that he aims a playful slap at her rear while she's making the hand signs to teleport out. It connected right before she disappeared, making her yelp but Genma saw the fierce smile she wore and then she was gone.

Genma sighed and began erasing the all remains of their little romp. 

"Seriously Shiranui?" Came a derisive chuckle as Raidou appeared behind him. "I can't leave you alone for an hour without you chasing tail."

"Get bent." 

"Who was it?"

"Who do you think?"

"You've got it bad." Raidou grinned. "I almost envy you. She's quite the little firecracker."

"Get. Bent."

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

  
  


He finally stepped onto the designated training ground, making his way through the trees. Kakashi sometimes took advantage of the fact that he was known for being late. He'd taken a cold shower, and then purposefully spent the better part of two hours combing through Emi's journal after Sakura had left.

There was a lot to learn. Scent marking could be platonic but there were certain rules. The Inuzaka "mate for life". Biting anyone but your mate is strictly forbidden. Controlling your pheromones is not only polite but political.

All these things made some of the Inuzaka idiosyncrasies clearer for Kakashi, but opened up new questions. Like how did he control his own pheromones when he couldn't even smell them himself? Those etiquette lessons were helpful and all but it wasn't what he'd been looking for. Mother hadn't described anything that might help him _avoid_ the effects of these ruts, but maybe that had been too much to hope for. One can't exactly fight biology.

After the fiasco that was this morning, he'd wondered at first why the herbs hadn't done what he thought they would. He'd put them in with the eggs as a preventative measure but they hadn't worked. 

As it turned out, completely halting the effects of a rut wasn't the intention of the mix. Kakashi learned, with surprise, that the herbal mix was the collaborative result of both Emi and Sakumo. They'd researched together for a whole month before settling with a very specific combination of herbs that would only help regulate his hormones and stress levels (until he learned how to do it himself), but wouldn't cause him harm over long time use. His parents had no way of knowing just how the Inuzuka genes would present in Kakashi since he was the first ever Hatake-Inuzaka, so they had to be cautious. Since the herbs weren't meant to halt his ruts it made him wonder why they had helped him last night. Had it been a fluke? Kakashi didn't know what to make of it.

The one thing that he could not stop thinking about was the last entry that he'd read. 

_I'm so sorry, my son, so very sorry. I hadn't wanted to write this part. I would rather have told you myself but in light of what happened I must write this here in case I no longer get that chance._

_The doctors all tell me that I may have crippled you because of what happened, that it will be a miracle if you ever manage to utilize your chakra. I can only pray that it's not true. While trying to protect you, I hurt you. My chakra stores were empty, and I… I somehow tapped into yours. I have already failed you before I've even set eyes on your face, little Kakashi._

_First I must explain your family history, or else you won't truly understand._

_I had always wondered why Sakumo had no family to speak of. The reason behind it is truly unspeakable. It all began when-_

When Kakashi had turned the page he found that the final two pages were gone. Ripped out.

He'd summoned Pakkun for an explanation, but the pug didn't have one.

_"I'll go talk to my mother, see what she knows."_

_"I thought you'd already read this?" Kakashi had fumed frustratedly. "Were the pages not missing then?"_

_"No, Boss I never read it. I only safe kept it for you." Pakkun had responded wearily in light of Kakashi's rising temper. "My mother told me everything that was in it, but she never mentioned any missing pages or any of the Hatake history. Just the kekkei suimin."_

_"Find her please, and report back later tonight. There's a training session that I have to monitor today."_

Kakashi raised his head as a squad approached him, tensing as he recognized the figure at the front. Inuzaka Tsume. Her expression was comically passive in comparison to her wild hair, but her companions, two men and one woman that he recognized as Tsume's daughter Hana, were all eyeing him with looks ranging from apprehension, concern, to distrust.

Theirs and their ninken's were the only scents on the training ground. Four shinobi, six ninken.

It became immediately clear to him that this had nothing to do with training. This couldn't be a coincidence. The Inuzuka who stood in front of him were too rigid, and while he couldn't see them he could smell that their ninken were approaching him from behind. He was mostly sure they didn't intend to attack him, because infighting within the village was illegal, but this also didn't strike him as a friendly encounter.

Kakashi smiled disarmingly. 

"Tsume-sama," He began respectfully, "was it you who required my assistance today?"

"I did submit a request for you today, yes." The clan head rasped.

"So these three must be the genin who need my help." Kakashi responded in the voice he used to use on students, giving the three a cheerful wave. It was an obvious jab. Hana risked a small smile but there were scattered growls and huffs of irritation from the two men in the group. They immediately ceased under a sharp glare from Tsume, but their angry pheromones bit at his nose and Kakashi unconsciously shifted his feet into a defensive stance.

"Shall we cut the bullshit?" Tsume said, after she looked back to Kakashi. 

"I think that would be best." Kakashi responded icily.

He tensed minutely as Tsume made a few hand signals, but they were simply orders not any form of jutsu. Four of the six ninken approached. Tsume's companion Kuromaru, more wolf than dog, padded forward from the trees along with three huskies that he vaguely remembered being Hana's. They weren't as combatively inclined as Kuromaru. 

"Hana, please watch the perimeter with the triplets. Sho, Nobu, distance yourselves."

Kakashi observed with interest as the two men shot reluctant looks towards him and made noises of protest.

A wolfish glint entered Tsume's eyes and at the same time Kuromaru rumbled a warning. "Are you ignoring a direct order? Must I remind you what happened last time?"

The pair straightened with alarmed looks and shot off. As soon as they were out of earshot, the clan head turned to face him. He couldn't quite read her expression but he got the sense that she was almost sad.

"I know what's happening to you, and I want to help." She finally said.

"I don't think I know what you mean." Kakashi hedged. He knew this was an inevitable discussion, but he wasn't looking forward to it. In front of him was the figurehead of the clan that had abandoned him in his childhood. He wasn't resentful anymore, just indifferent and the last thing he wanted to do was discuss something this sensitive with her.

Tsume sat down next to Kuromaru. A common sign of either overconfidence or good faith. Kakashi's intuition told him that she was only trying to appear non-threatening.

"Sit with me, Kakashi."

Kakashi remained standing and Tsume just gave a small shake of her head as if she had expected that.

"I know you've presented. You might be able to hide it from most shinobi, but you can't hide it from the Inuzaka. Your..." Tsume looked like she was contemplating trying to spare him any decency, but decided against it, "rut-scent is tracing through half of Konoha. My clan is on edge because of it, because they think it belongs to an outsider. I've ordered them to ignore it for now, but soon they're going to trace it back to you. Kuromaru is the only one who recognized it as yours."

Kakashi glanced at Kuromaru, who stared back at him impassively. The shinobi just shrugged at her.

Tsume's voice grew sharp at his lack of response. "You're going to need our help. The first cycle is always the worst one, the strongest. You'll- "

"I'm handling it." Kakashi interrupted in a pleasant tone, one meant to inspire confidence. "It's been a little up and down, but I've only got a day or so left. They only last two or three days right? I'll be fine."

Tsume had bared her teeth slightly at the interruption, but upon his words her mouth snapped shut and her eyes grew troubled. 

"Kakashi."

The serious tone in her voice inspired a cold rush of dread in his veins.

"That's the reason I'm here. Your rut hasn't actually started yet. Whatever it is you've experienced so far, it's just your body preparing for it."

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!! I had another commission done for this week, this time with no advance warning 💜
> 
> This was the moment Kakashi caught scent of Sakura after she came out of his room. Look at that blush, kyaa!! o(≧▽≦○〃
> 
> This one was done by our lovely Perlmutt who can be found on Tumblr. I absolutely love their drawing style, look how perfectly she captured the moment!!  
> They made another picture for me that i jumped the gun on and won't be showing for several more chapters. So there's that to look forward to ✌
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you guys liked this. BTW, that is my first ever time posting a F/M scene anywhere. I'd love to hear comments on where I could improve because I'm a little nervous 🙃😖
> 
> Edit: Oh and I'm open for new ideas to redo this fic's summary. (Clearly not one of my strong points) I didn't really have one planned originally and just used a small chunk of chapter one, but now it hardly seems to capture the story's mood. It's been bothering me for a few chapters now but I'm lost 😅👉👈


	11. Looming Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yosh! Posting a chapter not at almost midnight feels pretty good lol
> 
> Please read the end notes! I have an announcement :) nothing bad, just an explanation!
> 
> Happy reading!! ( Especially you TheArchangel, I know you've been waiting for this one ✌ )
> 
> ⚠️ Edit ⚠️: I reworked the summary on this fic. I'd like to hear from recurring readers if you think it fits better, or if i should return it to the other one. I love feedback!
> 
> \----------------------------------------------------------------

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

"Reporting sir."

"Go ahead." Came the curt reply of the robed man.

The masked agent bowed his head, continuing in a strict monotone. "Suspicious activity from the mark has been recorded. Last night I witnessed an abnormal response and with such, there is decent cause to believe it's finally starting."

"Excellent. Was he alone?"

"No sir. The mark was accompanied by Lady Tsunade's apprentice."

There was a tense moment of silence before the robed man spat a muted curse. "Unfortunate. That complicates things. Is it her?"

"Uncertain. I was forced to retreat without the appropriate intel at the risk of detection, but my other sources have relayed to me that he accompanied Inuzuka Tsume to their compound twenty minutes ago. We could go no further without arousing notice." The masked agent paused. "How should we proceed sir?"

"Carry on as usual, but add the girl to your list. She must be watched."

"Yes sir."

The robed man's voice dropped to a steely intensity. "Any further contact between him and the girl must be reported immediately from here forward. I don't want any surprises. I also want a full written report by this evening, and make sure a copy gets sent to _him_."

"Understood."

"Dismissed."

The robed man stood up and paced the dark room before pulling aside the curtain. Sunlight poured in making him squint to adjust. "I've been waiting decades for this Hatake. Don't disappoint me."

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

  
  


Sakura landed at the forest edge right outside her bedroom window. Her left ass cheek stung something fierce.

"Such a dick." She muttered, but she was smiling.

She glanced up at the sun that was finally slipping past it's highest point and knew she still had some time. Midday would be the worst time for her training. As her eyes swept over the treeline, studying the way sunlight dappled through the trees, she was filled with contentment. It was good to be home.

Prying her own window open wasn't much of an issue, having done this a couple times before. She didn't think Shikaku was home yet, but she had a strong feeling that Shikamaru was at least. He had an annoying disposition to sleep in public spaces and Sakura didn't feel like displaying what she knew would look like a walk of shame by going through the living room, especially to her brother's calculating gaze. She was overly aware of her sticky and seeping lower half, a shower at the forefront of her mind.

She climbed through the window and made a beeline towards her shared bathroom with Shikamaru. She poked a head in and made sure it was empty before locking the door on his side. Now she was free to relax. Sighing with relief she stripped off her clothes and started the shower, letting it heat up before getting in. 

Sakura gazed at herself in the mirror. A shower before letting the family see her had definitely been a good idea. Her hair was a mess and she was covered in a layer of sweat. _Damn that Genma. Always toeing the line._

She ran a glowing palm over the fingerprint shaped bruises on her hips and her scraped knees which hadn't taken kindly to her workplace escapade, gently returning her skin back to its milky splendor. Genma had seemed a little frustrated today. Maybe he hadn't been able to scoop someone up at the bar last night. Sakura smirked at the thought. He'd been striking out a lot lately apparently. It had been awhile since she heard him bragging about his nightly conquests. She couldn't complain, she rather enjoyed his rough side.

The shower was not a lazy affair as it usually was for her. Sakura spent some time using her chakra to clear out her and Genma's combined essence from her insides. She was on the pill, as all kunoichi who were or had been in the seduction corps were required to be, but better safe than sorry. Tsunade had taught her how to halt her cycle with medical chakra, but it wasn't recommended for longtime use as it could cause infertility so she really only used that while she was out on missions. Sakura wasn't sure she was ready for kids yet, but she might be someday so she stuck to the pill. 

Quickly scrubbing her body down, Sakura's thoughts turned to Kakashi as she tried to make sense of everything that happened. Just the memory of his body against hers was enough to send fire singing through her veins. The way he'd held her so gently even while surrounding her with such heated energy… 

It was harder than Sakura thought to come to terms with the idea that Kakashi would be attracted to her, but she was slowly getting used to it. Attraction was one thing but that didn't mean he intended to act on it. He'd lost his head for a minute but in the end he'd pulled back. Kakashi was probably just teasing her still when he said those things, trying to keep things friendly. But now that she had time to think without distractions extra details were coming to her. One detail in particular. Why in Kami had he _looked at her like that_? 

It was similar to the few times he'd tried to teach her something, like the look he wore as he tried to coax her towards an academic conclusion, but this time it wasn't the kind that was prompting an answer from her. It was weighted like he was speaking to an equal and trying to convey an unspoken idea. Asking her to read between the lines. What he wanted her to find was beyond her because there was no way he was actually considering doing anything with her right? 

Sakura started. _Was he looking for permission?_ She shut the shower off and stood, letting the water drip off of her as her mind spun with that thought. _Would I give him permission if he_ **_did_ ** _ask?_

She stepped out of the shower and reached for her towel only to find the towel bar empty. She hadn't even checked before getting into the shower. "Damn it." Sakura grumbled, dripping as she stomped into her room, leaving a trail of water in her wake. She grabbed her extra from a drawer and dried off before throwing on some clothes she could relax in. Then she flopped back into her bed. Instead of her favorite pillow, her head dropped against her bed, making Sakura shoot back up. 

"That's _it_! Shikamaru!" She yelled, marching back through the bathroom and throwing open his door. Shikamaru was laying back on his bed, but he sat up sharply as she stomped into his room. "Stop letting Temari use my stuff, or at least put it back when you're done!"

He crossed the room quickly and clapped a hand over her mouth, startling her. Shikamaru held a finger to his lips.

"What?" Sakura hissed, still fuming as she shoved his hand away.

Shikamaru shook his head with an exasperated look and pulled her over to his bed, pointing at the air duct on the wall just over the head of his bed. "Just listen." He hissed back.

Curious now, Sakura dropped onto his bed and tilted her head towards the vent. Now that she was quiet she could hear voices coming through the other end.

"Damn that Danzo. He is determined to be a thorn in everyone's side."

It was Shikaku.

"Is he causing trouble again?" And Yoshino.

Sakura cast a sideways glance at her brother, not having taken him for the eavesdropping type. 

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at the look she gave him. "It's not my fault they have important conversations right in front of the central air unit." He drawled lowly.

At that Sakura rolled her eyes back at him and turned her attention back to the vent.

"-learned of Sakura's choice to join us, and he's furious with me for offering in the first place. He's convinced I'm trying to gain favor with Tsunade and further the Nara's influence in Konoha."

"How obnoxious." Yoshino scoffed. "She deserves a family. She might be Tsunade's apprentice but she's not just some political pawn."

Shikaku's voice grew scathing. "In his eyes 'political pawn' is a very apt description for her. He's worried Sakura will vouch for me and thus unseat him as an advisor. He all but said I should tread very carefully."

"Did he threaten you?" Both Sakura and Shikamaru gulped nervously at the irate inflection in their mother's tone. Yoshino was downright scary when angry.

"Oh he would _never_." 

Sakura had to stifle a laugh at that. Shikamaru had definitely inherited his sarcastic personality from his father.

"Do you think he'll interfere with us when it comes to her training? Did he say anything about it?"

"No, he didn't mention it. I'm afraid we'll receive more interference from the clan itself when it comes to that. Some of them are still divided on whether we should teach her the hidden techniques. They've accepted her as a Nara, but not fully it seems."

"Are you going to postpone her training..?"

"Not a chance," Shikaku chuckled, "I'll not have my daughter be a Nara only by name. Because of her training with Tsunade, I'm confident she should pick it all up pretty easily."

"Good. I'd expect no less from you." Her voice dropped into a pleased hum.

"Yes ma'am."

With a quiet groan Shikamaru pulled Sakura away from the vent. "You don't want to hear anymore of that. Trust me, all downhill from there."

With a soft giggle Sakura crossed the room and sat down at Shikamaru's desk. For such a lazy guy his room was always scarily neat. His books were all lined neatly on his shelves, no clothes on the floor, not a speck of dust in sight. She spun in the chair a little, contemplating.

"So, the clan is divided about me learning shadow possession." She said.

Shikamaru heaved a short sigh. "Don't worry about that. It's just a bunch of political crap."

"But I don't want to cause any trouble. I'm happy just being one of you." Sakura insisted, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

He shot her an annoyed look. "It's not like that. You heard dad, he wants you to learn. He wanted you to learn before you were officially a Nara, but he was met with too much resistance from the elders. But now you're one of us so there's nothing stopping you. The only ones still complaining are like 80. They're blustering over tradition, the old farts. Remember he's the clan head. The final decision is his."

"Don't speak about the elders like that." Sakura huffed, but was reassured nonetheless. "Thank you."

He grunted in acknowledgement, pleased that she let it go so easily. Then he dropped into the topic that had been bugging him all morning. "So what's going on with you and Kakashi-san?" Shikamaru asked, heaving himself off the bed and standing in front of his bookshelf, looking for something to fill his time with.

Sakura groaned in response. "Definitely not what you're thinking."

"No?"

She shot him a glare as he went back to his bed with a worn tactics guide, feeling a stark disapproval towards his flippant attitude. "Its really not."

"It's just that the village is going to talk more than ever if they get wind of it, and it won't go over as easily as it did with Genma. Kakashi's reputation is a huge contrast to Genma's."

"You mean practically celibate versus town slut?" Sakura ground out. She never liked hearing people talk about her friend that way, though she knew most people did. Every shinobi had their own coping methods for the stress of their job. Sex just happened to be Genma's. While most shinobi treated it with gentle teasing, the civilians really weren't as understanding.

"Take it easy, I didn't mean it like that." He said wearily. "I only meant that Kakashi is more of a public figurehead than Genma is. On top of that he's your old sensei. A rumor like that-" He raised his voice a little as she tried to speak over him, " _true or not_ would be terrible for both of you."

"So you believe me then? I swear we didn't do anything. Well not _that_ at least. It honestly wasn't as bad as it looked-" 

He let her stammer for a moment before sighing. "No no, I get it. I believe you when you say nothing really happened. I could tell emotions were high, but no matter how you both were dressed it wasn't _just_ sexual tension that filled the room. It was more than that. It was unnerving as your brother to see for sure, but honestly it looked like Genma two-point-oh to me so I just had to make sure you knew what you were getting into."

She had been sitting quietly, letting him talk but she couldn't take it anymore. "What does _that_ mean? What does Genma have to do with it?" She finally exploded. Sakura was relieved that Shikamaru was being straightforward with her and taking her side, but if he mentioned Genma one more time without explaining the context she was going to lose it.

"You mean you haven't n-" His eyes widened but he shook his head with finality before opening his book and hiding behind it. "Nope. I'm out. I'm not getting in the middle of this, it's too troublesome."

Sakura bounded across the room and threw herself down in the bed next to him, pleading, "Shik, what am I not getting here?"

Shikamaru ignored her with a perfectly crafted stoicism, even when she poked his cheek and waved a hand in front of his face. She groaned with defeat and got up. "I'm going to get it out of you at some point." She was pouting at his noncompliance.

"Doubtful." He finally smirked at her from behind his book. "Best way to learn is through experience."

"You're such a drag." Sakura joked, throwing his catchphrase back at him. "Oh, before I forget. Where's my stuff, my towel and pillow? You know I don't care if Temari uses my things as long as she puts them back before she leaves."

"Oi, don't say that so loud." Shikamaru blinked up at her surprise. "But Temari wasn't here, she hasn't been here for months."

"Then where's my stuff?"

"How should I know? Maybe mom's doing laundry for you or something."

"Maybe." Sakura narrowed her eyes at him but let it go. He may hide Temari's secret visits from their parents but he didn't hide it from her. "I'm going to go grab something to eat before training. I also promised Ino and Tenten I'd stop by to see them next time I came back from a mission, so I'm probably going later tonight. You coming with?"

"I get enough of her attitude on missions, I don't want any more for crashing a girls' dinner date." Came his grumbled response.

"Hmm~" Shikamaru looked up at her distrustful of her change in tone, "Maybe Temari should visit soon. You're so cranky lately." She grinned as she shut the door on his strangled response. 

She checked her laundry hamper and found it empty, though Sakura knew there had been a few things in there before she left. It looks like Yoshino had done laundry for her after all. She let the issue drop from her mind.

She made her way into the kitchen and grabbed a random few items as a snack. An apple, a couple of hard boiled eggs, and some water. She was leaning against the counter chewing her apple when Shikaku came down the hallway.

"There you are. I didn't hear you come home last night, must have been late." He said, just a tad too casually.

Sakura flushed and responded hurriedly, hoping to change tracks. "Yeah. It was pretty late. Do you and Yosh- I mean do you and okaasan need any help with dinner tonight? Ino was hoping for a girls night." 

"Sakura." He was giving her the _look_.

She ducked her head, waiting to be chastised.

"If calling us Yoshino and Shikaku is easier, it doesn't hurt our feelings. Especially hers, Yoshi knew way beforehand that you might not be ready to just start calling us mom and dad. You don't have to force it." Shikaku smiled, gently ruffling her hair. 

She heaved a silent sigh of relief at the subject change but also experienced flicker of appreciation of his understanding. It was nothing against her, but Sakura had to admit that calling Yoshino "mom" still felt weird. It was easier to think of Shikaku as her father because her real father had disowned her, but her real mother had no part of that.

He didn't wait for a response before jumping into another sentence. "Now hurry up and finish eating, then meet me in the woods out back. I think there will be plenty of shadows to work with back there. We could wait until the sun's a little lower but I don't think you'd like me going easy on you. We're going to see how far that control of yours reaches."

**•~•**

"Does that make sense? If I had to compare it to anything, I'd say it's a more strenuous comparison to the chakra control aptitude test. I'm sure Tsunade had you take one before becoming her apprentice. Give it a try, try having your shadow reach out to mine." Shikaku said from where he was seated.

Sakura and Shikaku were both sitting on a pair of tree stumps, facing each other from a short distance away. The clan head had just finished explaining the fine details of shadow possession. There were no written manuals for such a thing, to prevent the jutsu from spreading outside the clan. She understood exactly what he was saying. 

The chakra control aptitude test had been an exercise that involved her straightening a crumpled piece of litmus paper without ripping or damaging it using only her chakra. Two years ago it had taken her several minutes to work out all the wrinkles and left her shaky and sweaty, but Tsunade had examined the paper and declared her in the 97th percentile of chakra control. That was nearly as high as the lady kage herself, and the senju princess had agreed to mentor her immediately afterwards.

 _So I just need to…_ She silently made the ne hand sign.

Sakura thought of her shadow as that piece of paper, spreading her chakra to its edges, visualizing the parts of her body in contact with the ground as the gateway for the chakra, the anchor. She concentrated on familiarizing herself with its current shape as it spilled off to her side, down the tree stump's edge to the grass below it. Her shadow swayed in response to her chakra's energy before she coaxed it into a sharp point. Soon it began creeping towards Shikaku's relaxed form.

"That's it." The older shinobi said with a pleased grin. "Feel for the shadows around you as well. They'll require more finesse and chakra, but they'll increase your range which is one of the biggest limitations of this jutsu."

Sakura narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath before pulling at the shadows surrounding her tree stump. It almost felt like two bodies of water funneling into one container, but in this case it was Sakura who dictated the shape of such a container while also controlling the rate of the flow. The kunoichi immediately felt the increase in pressure against her chakra, the effort taking another small percent of her reserves.

She had her shadow veer in a half circle around Shikaku's tree stump, just to feel out the movements, before finally reaching into her adoptive father's shadow. 

"Now, as we discussed." Shikaku encouraged her, a look of immense pride on his scarred face.

Sakura nodded and let her chakra surge through their connected shadows, before reaching further to resonate their chakra together. It was an odd sensation to explain as she felt their chakra points begin to align, with hers taking the lead. It was like pulling marionette strings, but she was both the puppet and the master. Now that they were connected, she lowered her hands and got to her feet. She was pleased when Shikaku mirrored her actions, marveling when she raised a hand and he did the same.

Shikaku rumbled out a laugh. "It's always interesting to see how someone handles their first shadow possession, so far you're much more polite than Shikamaru was when he first learned. The little brat walked me right into a tree." 

The veteran Nara shared this detail with such an amiable mix of both affection and irritation that Sakura laughed, watching with interest as Shikaku's face pulled to match her expression. "That definitely sounds like him."

She jumped down from the stump. "I'm sure I could do worse if I really wanted to. I'm much more flexible than Shikamaru is."

"I don't doubt it, but go easy on an old man."

Sakura let out a rather unladylike snort of amusement. "We'll see."

Shikaku grinned. "Alright. I'm going to start showing a little resistance before trying to shake you off completely. Shadow possession will never be this easy unless you're dealing with genin, or low class chunin."

"Bring it, _old man_." 

They shared a fierce grin before continuing.

**•~•**

A few hours later they both settled on the ground to catch their breath. The sun was beginning to set, casting larger shadows around them through the trees. It was the first time Sakura was able to attribute such a sight to incredible strategic potential, and she loved it.

"That was outstanding, Sakura. You're already a natural at this." Shikaku was panting but still managed to keep a scholarly inflection to his words. "You already have the basics covered, you only need to practice to fine tune your personal signature for shadow movements. Tomorrow we'll work on more advanced techniques."

"There's more?" Sakura was amazed. Today he'd already shown her shadow possession and shadow stitching. While he'd explained the process of using ninja tools in conjunction with these techniques, he told her they wouldn't work on that until she was more practiced with the basics. 

Shikaku mirrored her enthusiasm with a wide smile, in the moment looking much younger than he was. "Of course there's more, and I think you personally will enjoy them even more than what you learned today."

"What do they do?"

"It's a surprise." He threw her a wink before chuckling at her huff of disappointment. "You won't be disappointed, I promise."

"You're in a very good mood." Sakura said softly. She shifted a little, she hadn't meant to say that out loud. It was just a passing observation.

Shikaku's face softened as he gave her a warm glance. He pulled her to her feet and they slowly began walking back towards the house. "It's been a long time since I've had a training session with one of my children. I've always enjoyed that bond with my family. Shikamaru isn't as eager as he was when he was younger."

Sakura smiled, delighted once again that such a wonderful man considered her to be his child. His entire demeanor was relaxed and he seemed to be at total peace.

"How come you never had more kids?" Sakura asked curiously. "It seems like you would have been thrilled to have more than one."

"I would have been," Shikaku responded calmly, "but life has a way turning out exactly how it should. Yoshi and I married young, and after a couple years we began trying for children. We were unsuccessful for years, and there was one miscarriage that stopped us in our tracks for awhile. Then the war started and there was no time for such things." Despite his words, Shikaku's face was beatific, and though his age lines became more prominent he still looked peaceful as they walked through the woods. It seemed like the environment was doing all it could to reflect the mood of the man before her. The birds sang and animals scurried through the undergrowth on their travels as the day signaled its end. 

"I'm sorry, that must have been terrible." Sakura hushed. She was stricken. She didn't know how she could have spent almost two years with this man as her caretaker and not known this.

"It was," the rugged shadow user nodded thoughtfully, "but after the war ended we waited a couple of years to be sure the peace was lasting before trying again, and we were blessed with Shikamaru. Of course we were thrilled, we put all our energy into raising him and never thought to try again. And then life caught up with me, I was named the next clan head and had more responsibility than ever, but I was satisfied with what I had. A loving wife and son. I could never have asked for more and it seems," he stopped her with a light touch to her shoulder, "that I never had to. Life had already planned a daughter for me, I just had to wait for her. It turned out exactly as it should have."

Sakura's eyes welled with tears. It was apparent that Shikaku would make every effort to make sure she was confident of her place with them. He was ready for her hug, standing firm as she quickly stepped towards him and buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his middle. He returned the embrace with ease, murmuring softly and holding the back of her head as her shoulders shook. Sakura wasn't quite sure what had her so emotional lately, but it was hard not to be with her adoptive father showing her such kindness. 

They eventually made it back to the house, but Shikaku stopped her before they went inside, instead gesturing for her to sit on the porch with him. She sat down fluidly, legs crossed in a relaxed display of flexibility.

"I have a favor to ask of you, if you'd hear me out." He rumbled. "Please don't take it the wrong way."

"Of course." Sakura replied, curiosity spiked.

"Would you consider moving into town?"

At her raised eyebrows he added quickly, "With Shikamaru. I'm worried for that boy's lack of initiative. One of these days he'll be replacing me and I'm hoping that if I can edge him out of the nest, he might start putting more effort into things."

Sakura hesitated, "I know he's not very motivated, but are you sure moving him into an apartment would help change that? Maybe one of the other houses in the compound might be better for him."

Shikaku shook his head with a small smile, "It's springtime in the Nara clan if you catch my drift, there aren't any houses to spare."

Sakura felt a small wave of confusion, "I thought there was a whole empty sector at the back edge of the forest, near the stream."

"Ah, those aren't a part of the Nara compound." Shikaku said evasively, looking uncomfortable.

"They're not? Whose are they? I've never seen them used." She tried racking her brain for a memory of a clan symbol anywhere on the sector, but she hadn't ever put much effort into inspecting them. She'd only seen them in passing while wandering around with Shikamaru when she first moved to the Nara compound.

He answered her with an air of reluctance. "It's the old Hatake compound, it's been empty for a long time."

"Oh." 

"That's a story for another time, and probably not mine to tell." Shikaku pulled at his goatee uncomfortably. "So what do you say? Think you can help an old bird get his lazy hatchling to stretch his wings?"

"I'll set up some viewings and drag him with me. I'll make it seems like he's doing me a favor." Sakura said decidedly, but her thoughts had wandered. She never knew that Kakashi had come from a clan. She was certain there were no other Hatake's in the village… So what happened to them? Judging from her father's expression, it wasn't good.

"Oh thank Kami." Shikaku chuckled with relief, "At least now I can stop pretending I have no idea that his little Sand girlfriend stays the night when she gets the chance."

His chuckle turned into deep chested laughter at her look of surprise. "That boy isn't as sneaky as he thinks he is. Alright, the sun is almost down. You should get going, you don't want to keep your friends waiting."

**•~•**

Dinner with the girls had been nice, if not a little long and boisterous. It had been about a month since the last time all of them had been available to meet at the same time. Even Hinata had managed to join them halfway through. 

Both Tenten and Hinata had dropped out of the seduction corps since Sakura had seen them last. Tenten went back to Team Guy and got back on the track of becoming a seasoned weapons master. Hinata hadn't made it through the classes, even though she went through the courses a couple of years later than most kunoichi. It turns out the shy Hyuga heiress just didn't have the stomach for those types of missions, which didn't surprise Sakura in the least. She was more suited for the scouting division.

Ino had found her true calling by pairing between the seduction corps and T&I. She was quickly becoming one of the best intel gatherers in the division and had no reservations to bragging about it. She'd successfully completed her most recent A-rank seduction, which had gotten her the final recommendation she needed to be added to the jounin candidate selection. The dinner turned more into a celebration, and the confident blonde had bullied the girls into having a few drinks, but after last night Sakura made sure to filter all the inhibiting effects of the alcohol before it could affect her.

Sakura had finally managed to shake them and it was very late by the time she landed on Genma's balcony. She knew she was arriving past the time she said not to wait up, but she saw that his bedroom light was still on when she passed by and decided to make an appearance. 

The glass door slid open easily, the senbon user hadn't even locked it. Genma's apartment was small, more of a studio bachelor pad. A small kitchen opened into a nearly as small living area that doubled as his bedroom. The walls were a gentle brown, the hue similar to a lightly creamed coffee, giving the room a warm welcoming aesthetic under the soft glow of the lamp on his nightstand. It suited the easy going shinobi. 

There were spare senbon and shuriken littering across his nightstand and tables, and his ANBU uniform and mask were hanging on hooks behind his bathroom door.

Said shinobi was laying back in his bed, his bandana pulled over his eyes. Even though a sheet was pulled over most of his torso Sakura could see that he wasn't very clothed. 

At first she thought he was humming but as she stepped closer she recognized that the brunette was actually snoring. He looked even tanner than usual in the dim lighting, her eyes trailing down the relaxed muscles of his thighs. 

She suppressed a smile as she stepped closer, walking quietly so she didn't disturb him. She had to wonder if maybe he'd fallen asleep waiting for her. He still had his senbon between his teeth, which Sakura gently pulled away and set on his side table. One of these days he'd end up choking on one of the damn things. She'd just turned off his light and was turning to go when a large hand caught one of her own.

"Stay." He'd sat up, the sheet falling down his built chest and bunching in his lap. In the shadows Sakura could see him blinking away his drowsiness. His normally mellow voice had the husky scratch of someone who needed more sleep. 

"You seem tired," Sakura said as Genma pulled her to him, settling her between his thighs. "I was just going to go."

"We don't have to do anything. You could just stay." He murmured, nuzzling her chest before wrapping strong arms around her waist and pulling her into the bed.

Sakura let out a small shriek of surprise as she found herself sprawled over his body. "But-" She wavered under his searching gaze. They'd only spent nights together on missions, or after passing out after drunken sex. She'd never intentionally shared a bed with him for the night like this, it seemed too intimate of a thing, even for them. 

Genma gave an imperceptible sigh before giving her one of his signature smirks. "It doesn't have to mean anything Petal, you can't blame a man for wanting to share his bed with a pretty woman for the night." He snaked both arms around her waist and settled warm palms on her bottom before squeezing. His cinnamon depths were light, betraying nothing. "Besides, I can always have you in the morning."

Sakura smiled and swatted his hands aways, sitting up and straddling his hips. That was more like the Genma she knew. "Fine, but you better make good on that. I came here with expectations." She said flirtatiously, pulling her shirt over her head to get more comfortable.

When she looked back down Genma's eyes had darkened into a familiar hungry look that awoke a pleasurable burn in her. "Expectations huh," He mused gruffly, "Damn you make it difficult to resist."

Sakura gasped as he rolled them over and settled between her legs, letting her take his weight as he grazed his lips up her chest before kissing her deeply, hungrily. 

"I guess I'll have to meet those expectations of yours."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to take a short hiatus! 😭  
> Next chapter update will be on August 20th. I know that seems like awhile, but I've noticed myself dragging my feet when writing because going chapter by chapter with no writing reserves has gotten stressful... I will NOT be halting the writing for this story, the hiatus is only for me to get a few chapters done in advance so that when it comes time for me to post each week again it won't feel like I'm starting from scratch 😁  
> ~  
> ~~  
> ~~~  
> On to *real* the chapter notes!!
> 
> Sorry for no Kakashi POV, I'm sure you all are just itching to learn more about our favorite silver haired shinobi's situation, *but* I'm here for the suspense 😋
> 
> I couldn't help throwing in a little taste of what our other young kunoichi were up to. Love our feisty ladies, I like to think it was pretty accurate too.
> 
> Some ShikaSaku Brotp, and father figure Shikaku, who else is in love? I hope my Yoshino/Shikaku backstory wasn't too sad 😢 Not gonna lie, I almost cried alongside Sakura writing that. They're both such sweethearts.
> 
> And hoho, I hope you've all caught on by now to what Sakura is still painfully oblivious to. Our lovely lady may have learned the arts of a true kunoichi, but she is still inexperienced in the throes of the heart 🤭 Don't think Genma is going to give that girl over without a fight. 
> 
> More angst to follow on August 20th! As always please leave a kudos, or a comment if you're feeling generous. I'm definitely gonna need me some comment nourishment while I'm getting as much writing as I can done in these next three weeks 💜💜💜


	12. Stripped Bare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back everyone!!
> 
> So I managed to get two chapters written, not as much as I wanted but they were quite satisfying to crank out.
> 
> I might have gotten more done, but halfway through these three weeks I got called back into work full time, so my quarancation is officially over. Great for my pockets (and you know, my ability to pay bills) but not so great for my free time.
> 
> Anyways, happy reading! This one is all about Kakashi ^-^
> 
> \----------------------------------------------------------------

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

Surveillance Report x0694

ID: Jackal

Target: Hound

24 hours, no changes. Target remains in the compound. Overnight the target’s location was narrowed to a building in the southern sector, but no direct sighting. As predicted, there is no apparent intent to use the public medical system.

Report for the secondary target forthcoming. More time required due to conflict between current file and observed behavior. Requesting authorization for contact. 

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

_By the time you read this entry you’ll probably have figured out how our scent glands work. These we have from birth. There are four, one on the heel of each palm and on both sides of the jaw, just an inch below the ear. They start off small and become more sensitized as you grow older, as I’m sure you’ve noticed._

_Now when it comes to scent marking you’ll have to be more mindful as you grow older. It’s very common to see children marking their toys or their friends as a way to display playfulness and contentment, but most often it’s a form of possession. The “mine” complex. Children are easily excitable, they simply can’t help themselves. I remember when I was a kid there was a little stuffed bear that I loved so much, that when I found it in the back of my closet a decade later it still reeked of me. Takeo teased me for days after that. Children will also throw tantrums when they are reminded that they shouldn’t be so forward with their scenting, because it’s also in our instincts to do so as a sign of companionship. Children just can’t differentiate the two in the beginning, don’t understand the ways it can be seen as aggressive or inappropriate. So it’s important that I teach you when it is appropriate and when it’s not. You’ll get the hang of it, it’s just a matter of awareness and control._

_Also, be mindful of your emotions. They will inevitably influence your scent- especially when scenting someone. I will never forget the day that an old friend of mine scented me by accident. We were both about thirteen. Her father had just died and her scent was so overwhelmed with grief that I started to cry, which made her cry and eventually it escalated until we were both so hysterical that we had to be taken to the hospital to be sedated_. _I sincerely hope something like that doesn't happen to you, it was simply awful._

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

"What is your relationship with Sakura?" Tsume asked carefully, eyeing Kakashi from the corner of her eyes.

He couldn't say he was prepared for that question.

They were in the Inuzuka compound now, in a place that Tsume had told him was called a nesting bay. It was a relatively open sized room, slightly larger than his living room. The walls were a calming hue of green which he tried to pay attention to instead of the fact that there were no windows here. There was a bed pushed into the corner of the room, but they were currently seated across from each other at a small dining table.

Tsume had been asking him many questions about what he's experienced so far and for the most part he'd been truthful. She was very firm about needing to know everything, telling him that these details were important. Kakashi hadn't been able to ignore the apprehension he felt upon learning that his cycle hadn't started yet, and grudgingly admitted he would need her assistance in this. He had no idea what to expect anymore.

"Professional." He replied instantly, becoming defensive at such a direct question. It took him a second to wonder what would prompt her to ask such a thing. He and Tsume were not close. To his knowledge there was only one person, besides Genma, who had an inkling of his true feelings, and it definitely wasn't her.

"How do you feel about her?" Tsume probed, eyes widening at his tone. Kakashi cursed himself for not being in better control of his voice.

"I- I care for her as I would any comrade. She's my former student so I can say she's closer to me than most." Kakashi answered, hoping that would be enough to avoid any further questions on this. 

Her voice dropped warningly. "Kakashi. I need you to be truthful with me. This set of questions might be the most important so far."

"That was truthful." He muttered stubbornly. 

Her eyes narrowed. "My daughter bumped into her this morning. She discovered something _interesting_." 

Kakashi tensed at her sharp tone, fighting the urge to bare his teeth as her scent became confrontational. For the third or maybe the twentieth time today he accidentally bit down too hard on his inner cheek still unused to the sharp points of his new fangs.

Gods he hated this, hated how easily he was falling to his emotions now. Years had gone into practicing and perfecting his self control and yet it had been stripped from him so easily. His fingers twitched as he kept his hands from curling into fists. He took a deep breath through his nose and met her eyes evenly. "And what was that?" He asked coolly. 

He got the sense that she was both impressed and worried by the manner of his response. 

"You scent-marked her. Hana thinks it was done briefly but your scent is so strong that she said it was as if you were trying to warn people away from her."

"What? I didn't-" Kakashi's eye widened, startled to hear such a thing. He didn't remember doing anything of the sort.

"You're lucky that Hana had the mind to ask Sakura first where the wounds on her neck came from." Tsume growled, cutting him off. "From how aggressive your scent covered her, Hana assumed _you_ bit her. We have strict laws about such things, especially around inter clan relationships. We're built differently than the rest Kakashi, you need to understand that."

Kakashi just stared at her, still reeling as he wildly tried to think back to how he could have marked her. Emi's journal had said the scent glands were just below the jawline and on his wrists. Had it been when he'd held her against the wall? He flinched as he remembered how he'd nearly…. He nearly _had_ bitten her. What would have happened if he had?

"It wasn't intentional..." He said slowly.

"Are you saying you _did_ bite her?" The clan head shot to her feet. Her chair shrieked gratingly against the floor and he winced at the sound.

"No!" Kakashi denied, eye pulling even wider as she stepped towards him aggressively, her pheromones suddenly overpowering. The woman before him was royally pissed, fangs flashing. "That's not what I meant at all! I was talking about the scenting."

"Sorry." Tsume froze and snapped her mouth shut, sitting back down. Her leg bounced in agitation. "Your scent naturally has me on edge. It’s ridiculously strong."

"It's happening now?" He blinked, sniffing around himself. 

"You can't sense it?" Her eyes narrowed. "At all?"

He shook his head in response.

"Sage this is so frustrating!" Tsume snapped, though not at him. Kakashi had to agree wholeheartedly.

"For _years_ I thought somehow you hadn't inherited the Inuzuka gene. You didn't show any of the usual signs in your teens, not counting your attitude back then. You never gave off pheromones like us and you look _so much_ like Sakumo. I should have paid better attention." She shook her head, muttering under her breath. 

"Can you explain the taboo around biting for me?" Kakashi asked hesitantly. Maybe if he knew more it would help him resist if the urge overtook him again.

"It's not _taboo_." She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "It’s just reserved for mates, for mating. And it can only be _truly_ done once, so the pair better be damn sure they're committed to each other before trying something like that."

"So… it's tradition? Like a marital contract." Kakashi questioned, still not understanding.

Tsume shook her head, her dark eyes serious. "Yes and no. It's… Sage, I don't know where to start. This is why our lifestyle isn't commonly known throughout Konoha, it's hard to explain to those who didn't grow up with our instincts so we don't talk about it. Spiritual isn't the right word but it's close. The mating bite, the claiming bite, when done properly forms a literal bond between the mates and creates a tangible connection. Bonding changes everything. You won’t be able to understand it until you experience it for yourself, if that day ever comes."

He understood it a little better now, but she was right. Kakashi couldn’t quite grasp the reality of such a concept. He gave her a short nod of acknowledgment.

She held his gaze with a heavy sigh. "Back to it. I need you to explain everything that happened with Sakura. Don't withhold anything, I mean it. I need to know for her sake as well as yours."

Kakashi sat straighter, suddenly nervous. This is what he'd been worried about. "For her sake?"

"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it, Hatake."

He felt a jolt of that protective instinct inside him and it overrode his need for privacy. He retold everything he could, his loss of control, his senses, what his instincts would have had him done. He hadn't mentioned the journal yet and wanted to keep it that way. He also tried to keep it objective, keeping his emotions out of it but Tsume didn't let him. Anxiety trickled down his spine as her face twisted with concern. 

"I need to know how you feel about her. That is imperative to how we go about this." When he said nothing she finally softened, regarding him with sympathy filled eyes. "I'm not here to judge you. I'm just trying to help, like I promised Emi all those years ago."

"What?" Kakashi turned his head sharply towards her, his visible eye narrowed. “You knew my mother?”

Tsume made a choked sound and quickly brought a hand up to pinch her nose shut. "Focus!" She snapped, now nasally. "The more agitated you are the more difficult this is for me, do you understand? I need you to try being calmer than this. Your first cycle… Soon both your bodily and mental functions will be the closest they will ever be to the animal we Inuzaka are descended from."

Kakashi felt his anxiety spike higher at her words but he tried to do as she said. He didn't like the way that sounded. Tsume made it sound like he wouldn’t even be himself. Control over himself was the only constant in his life. It was his last defense, and the thought of losing that left him shaken.

He also hadn't connected that Tsume would have known his mother at all, not having grown up with the same sense of community as her. For some reason the idea that Tsume got to know his mother more than he did really stressed him out. Tsume's urgency and impatience came out so strongly in her scent that it caused him to stammer out quickly, "I care for her probably more than what is acceptable…"

"Sweet Sage Kakashi, she's a grown woman." Tsume growled, frustrated. She was still pinching her nose closed. "It's not like I'm trying to get you to sign a confession or anything. How do you feel when she's around, how does your body respond? How does her scent affect you?"

Thinking of Sakura like that was not helping. The mere memory of her sweet scent was enough to make him dizzy. He could feel his skin growing hot and a sudden searing pain gripped his pelvis. He lurched to his feet but the pain caused him to drop to his knees with a grunt. From there he fell to his side, both arms wrapped around his stomach as he curled into a ball trying to temper the crippling pain.

"Kakashi? Shit. Hana! Get in here, I think you were right." Tsume barked out.

Hana rushed in, also clasping a hand over her nose as she entered the nesting bay. Her eyes widened as they caught sight of Kakashi's groaning figure.

"It's starting. Nobu, get that stuff I set aside earlier and pile it by the bed," Hana ordered, rolling up her sleeves, "Sho, get my medical kit."

There was a flurry of activity going on around him. His sense of smell was becoming overwhelmed as several scents entered the room at once, all of them nervous and agitated. The acrid smell of their nerves set him on edge but Kakashi felt an instant change in himself as the hints of a familiar sweet scent was swept in with the three others. His vision ran red as Nobu rushed in holding a plain black pillow. Sakura's scent was all over it, so thick that it had to be something she used very frequently. It was definitely hers and not a substitute.

"Where did he-? Where did you get that?" Kakashi demanded. His voice sounded strained even to himself. He could feel his jaw working as he worked to control his temper. He was losing ground fast as the beast hounded for its freedom, eager to leap to Sakura’s defense, perceiving this as a threat to her.

It was the other man's scent mixing in with hers that did him in. That scent created the upsetting image of Nobu standing in her bedroom sifting through her things. As that thought pervaded his mind, a jealous and offended fury crashed through him and Kakashi lost to the raging beast beneath his skin. Kakashi found himself stripped down to the most basic instincts and emotions as it took control.

In a second Kakashi was across the room, ripping the item from Nobu's grasp and then clutched it protectively to his chest. Nobu instinctively growled at the aggressive action, tilting his chin up to show his fangs and squaring his shoulders threateningly. Kakashi stiffened and turned to face him before ripping off his mask to bare his own teeth in response to the challenge. Kakashi tossed the pillow to the nearby bed and lunged forward, but before his hands came in contact with Nobu he was shouldered to the side.

There was shouting as Sho dragged, with great difficulty, a furious Nobu out of the room. 

Kakashi looked up to see Kuromaru in front of him, hackles raised, and the ninken gave him a warning bark. "Calm down Kakashi. We're trying to help."

For a split second Kakashi's limbs went slack as the wolf-dog released commanding pheromones that demanded for him to submit, but then he resisted. Kakashi’s inner self was furious at the wolf-dog for trying to dominate him. He saw it as a challenge to his right to defend Sakura. He leapt towards Kuromaru. His rage blinded him and slowed his reflexes. He wasn't able to dodge in time as Kuromaru met him head on and closed his jaws around his bicep and pushed him to the floor. His free hand scrabbled for a hold on the wolf-dog's black fur, trying to push him off but the ninken's crushing weight held him down.

"Get everything into place quickly! He's beyond reason, his pack instincts aren’t intact." Kuromaru growled, looking to the others as he placed two massive paws down on Kakashi's chest. Tsume nodded and continued what the other two men had started, hurriedly working around the bed.

“Are you surprised? He grew up separated from the pack!” Hana scolded him angrily, kneeling down next to them. She prepped a syringe with sure hands and tried to pin one of Kakashi’s arms down under her knees.

Kakashi thrashed underneath them both trying to take himself closer to Sakura's scent; It was growing stronger and stronger with Tsume’s movements, and he needed to keep the others away from it. He couldn't move his arms well enough so he moved on to the next best thing. He jutted his chin forward and buried his teeth into Kuromaru’s foreleg.

Kuromaru released a deafening bark of pain but didn’t flinch, applying even more force down on Kakashi to hold him still. Hana was struggling to find a vein in his arm with all of the thrashing and gave a cry of irritation. When Kakashi refused to remove his teeth from Kuromaru’s leg Hana took advantage of the only part of him that wasn’t moving, plunging the syringe into his protruding jugular.

Kakashi instantly opened his jaw in a cry of pain and fear as he felt the drug start moving quickly through his bloodstream. Kuromaru lurched away on three legs but Kakashi paid no mind, too focused on trying to remain conscious. His body convulsed under the force of his desperation to stay awake.

Every time he gave into this sluggish pull he would wake in a hospital, the one place he always hated to be. Too many painful and horrifying memories there. 

“N-no. No!” Pitiful whines escaped him as blackness took the edges of his vision. He didn’t want to go back there. His eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling. Images of his dead friends were all that he could see, the very worst one most prominent.

_Blood pulsed around his wrist, hand impaled in her chest. The slick and tattered tissue of her heart throbbed wetly and brokenly around his hand only once before shivering to a stop. He could feel the deep cuts in his own flesh where her ribs resisted his violent invasion, shattering and ripping into him. A pitiful revenge for the sin he had just committed. The wet suction of her muscle and sinew opposing his frantic retreat made bile rise in his throat. More blood gushed over them both as he finally pulled his hand free._

_“Ka-kashi.” She got out his name in a strangled whisper before falling back, her lifeless gaze staring up at the sky._

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He gasped out loud.

“It’s okay. We’re here.” Hana soothed from nearby. “We don’t hold this against you.”

Her kind words fell on deaf ears. She had no what he was apologizing for.

After a moment, his memory of Rin’s murder cruelly transformed in his mind. Brown hair turned pink and the light brown eyes that had always reminded him of sunlight on tree bark were instead a startling shade of bright seafoam green. The emptiness in them, the lack of warmth, lack of _fire_ in them shattered something inside Kakashi and tears fell freely from his eyes, streaming down his cheeks. He brought only death to those close to him. Kakashi would surely endanger her too if he let her get too close.

“Sakura!” His cry was more of a hoarse whisper, and was both a warning and a plea.

He needed her. Kakashi couldn't fight it anymore, he had to tell her. Sakura was an anchor for him in this life, a representation of _goodness_. She made him want to be more, but death followed him wherever he went. 

She was in his last thoughts before the drug had its victory, realizing that he wouldn't be home when she returned to his apartment as he'd planned. 

**•~•**

A feral growl rolled in his chest. The beast was still in control. Kakashi had finally woken back up to a muted argument happening at his bedside. His teeth were bared in warning. They were far too close for his liking. 

_Stay back._

It was too hot. He was in nothing but his boxers without his headband or even his mask. Normally he would feel exposed, but with the heat rolling off of him Kakashi could hardly stand the little amount of clothes he was still wearing. The material felt abrasive, clinging damply to his sweltering skin. 

_So alone._

Kakashi couldn't move, futilely writhing against his restraints as another wave of pain passed through him. There were straps over his chest, abdomen, and thighs, as well as cuffs locking his wrists and ankles down. This made him feel more vulnerable than his lack of clothes. He was overly aware of the two people who stood beside him, even through closed eyes. All he knew was that they were women, their scents cloyingly bitter in his nose. He hated the way they smelled, wanting to press his face into the bedding instead to inhale her scent instead, and he would've if the beast weren't so against baring his neck to these strangers. 

_They aren’t her. Only her._

He was beyond the point of arousal. Arousal was supposed to be for pleasure but this was far too purposeful. It was nearly mind encompassing and it was definitely controlling his body. This heat, this burning need, the pain that attacked his body for not fulfilling its desires... Kakashi couldn’t ignore it.

_Must continue the line. Survive. Must survive. It can’t end with me._

He had to get out of this room. 

One of them brushed his hair aside where sweat had plastered it to his forehead and pressed a wet rag to his burning skin. He hissed air through his teeth. It was like ice. 

Kakashi was slowly gathering his own senses. It was a deep struggle to ignore the howling cries of his inner beast to focus on the people near him who were speaking.

"-never seen it this bad."

It sounded like their voices were coming from underwater. He couldn't hear them very well through the pulsing in his ears, but it was slowly becoming clearer.

"-know how he could have imprinted so quickly..."

"Should we summon her here?"

"-lutely not. Not for his first. What you collected will have to be enough. Your foresight has saved him a lot of pain."

"Thankfully I'll think he'll reach the nesting stage quickly, his progression is unprecedented. I estimate between another twelve and sixteen hours."

"We can't stay here much longer Hana, it will only aggravate his condition more."

"But mother, we can't leave him like this. The fever-"

Kakashi forced his eyes open. His vision blurred as he tried to focus on the two arguing figures. He was trying to remember where he was. Hana. Tsume. That's right. He was at the Inuzuka compound. He panted, struggling to recall his last conversation and to keep consciousness this time.

 _Can’t just sit here._ The beast inside him was growling insistently so Kakashi obeyed and tried breaking free once more. He couldn’t access his chakra so he wasn’t making good progress.

"Stop fighting Kakashi. The restraints are cutting into you!" Hana exclaimed. She tried moving closer but he snarled at her again and she halted. 

Kakashi paused at her look of concern mingled with defeat. He got the sense that he’d done this more than once. The slightest touch of fear on her face cleared his mind and Kakashi almost felt like himself again. Hana was one of the shinobi of his village, of his home. No one here should fear him. He didn’t want that.

He didn't know why he did it, it was like he couldn't stop himself. The wild instincts inside him kept trying to take over. He had already surrendered to it once, he didn’t want it to happen again. Kakashi could feel the blood trickling down his wrists and his abdomen where the rough leather bit into his skin. His left arm was tingly too and he recognized the sensation of a numbing agent. 

Glancing down he saw that his upper arm was bandaged tightly, and blood was just barely visible through the light material. With the numbing agent, the bandages, and the IV he could see out of the corner of his eye, he had to take a ragged breath and remind himself that he wasn’t in a hospital. The medical attention was threatening to make him panic and he tugged forward once more and groaned lightly as his wounds stung further.

 _Right. The restraints…_ He’d already forgotten. His head fell back against the bed.

"Let's go Hana, he'll be fine. He has to ride this out on his own. He’ll be calmer if we go."

As they left and their bitter scents went with him, Kakashi was granted some clarity. A soft buzz sounded and his restraints slackened, releasing him. He ripped the IV from his arm and shot out of the bed only to make it a few steps.

Her scent didn’t go much farther than the bed and it was like an iron tether, more effective than his former restraints. Kakashi couldn’t bring himself to move beyond its range. With a growl of indecision Kakashi looked between the door and the bed and his feet began to move without his permission back the way he came. How did the bed smell like Sakura? He noticed that the sheets didn’t quite lay flat, and pulled them up. As soon as he did her scent became stronger, as if the sheets had somehow been dampening it. His knees buckled as his arousal arched even higher, the beast howling in delighted unison. 

Underneath the sheet were a few ordinary clothing items. Half a dozen shirts, a towel and something that resembled a shawl. Even without her scent Kakashi easily recognized them as hers. They were her size and her style, though he couldn't recall her wearing longer sleeves so often. Sakura didn’t dress flashily like most kunoichi. She was more modest and erred on the professional side of dress, it was very suitable for her personality. It added to her appeal and Kakashi took pleasure (and relief) in knowing that she didn’t openly flaunt her sensuality. He felt protective, not wanting others to view her like that.

Feeling both hesitation and eagerness Kakashi reached for a stone colored top and brought it up to his nose. The scent of excitement and adrenaline was inlaid with Sakura’s scent and it made for such a heady combination that Kakashi nearly whimpered. She must have trained in this shirt.

This felt so wrong. How did these even get here? They were either stolen or willingly provided. Both options made him want to growl but for two very different reasons.

He dropped the shirt and reached for a familiar black pillow. So _this_ is what had made him lose control before. Such a simple little thing.

Of the items here the pillow smelled the strongest of her and he must have been laying there for a while because it smelled strongly of himself too. The combination of their two scents filled him with contentment and the beast inside him rumbled out a purr that Kakashi audibly echoed. Without a second thought he dropped back into the bed, holding the pillow protectively to his body, surrounding himself with her scent. For the first time in a long time, Kakashi’s mind was empty and he felt what he dubiously identified as peaceful.

**~•~•~•~•~•~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't wait to hear from you all!! I hope you were all as eager as I was for the 20th to get here 💜 
> 
> Comment or Kudos, let me know how I did! I would especially love to hear from you guys about how I'm handling the divergent-omegaverse. Is it too much, not enough? I tried keeping it to a healthy medium.


	13. So Much, So Soon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day everyone!  
> \---  
> So to put this short... Sorry for staying away for so long. The pandemic had me fried mentally, emotionally, and financially. By the time I had *time* to write anything, I had lost any and all motivation. But even in my absence this story continued to get kudos and comments, and that really helped me find the energy to keep going. Its been months but I've been constantly thinking about how this story progresses, and dying to share it with you. This chapter is jam packed, so I hope you guys like it!
> 
> Its been awhile, so I suggest brushing up with chapters 11 and 12 if the timeline begins to confuse you!:)

~•~•~•~•~•~

Response for Surveillance Report x0694 

Authorization granted. Two man team, exercise necessary restraint and discretion.

~•~•~•~•~•~

When Sakura woke it was to the sound of coffee brewing. Blinking away another nightmare, she rolled over with a groan to see the clock on the side table. It was hardly past five in the morning.

 _Why is he up so early, fucking unnatural._

Sakura was not a morning person on days when she wasn't on call.

Sitting up grumpily, she reached for her clothes and got dressed before padding into the kitchen while grumbling obscene threats under her breath about what she’d do to him for waking her up at this ungodly hour. But Genma was nowhere to be seen. She walked over to the coffee pot and found a scribbled note sitting in front of it.

_"Duty calls. Put your claws away and drink some caffeine. Help yourself to the fridge if you're hungry."_

Crumpling the note in her fist Sakura turned her head sharply towards his bathroom and saw that his uniform and mask were gone. Last night Genma had made it sound like he didn't have morning plans. Sakura knew he hadn't been summoned or she would have woken. Messenger ninja, especially ANBU, were notoriously blunt with delivering summons. Sakura was lucky that it was her own team who called her in. They were more discreet. 

So Genma had known beforehand that he'd be gone when she woke up. 

Could he have forgotten in the moment? Or he lied. Why would he lie? Sakura shook her head with absent confusion. It was too early for this. She shoved the note into her pocket and poured herself a cup of coffee, frowning when she couldn’t find where he kept the sugar. She opened the fridge and breathed a sigh of relief that he at least had cream, also nabbing a cup of yogurt.

She didn’t muse over Genma’s discrepancy for long. Before long Sakura found herself reluctantly and undeniably alert for the day. She cleaned the coffee pot and made her way into town, making sure to lock the balcony door behind herself. It should be early enough that there would be very few people in the streets. Perfect. 

She yawned and got out of the way of a cart that a civilian was directing towards his shop. Sakura froze in surprise when he nodded in greeting to her, but managed a nod in return without too much hesitation. She recognized him. He worked for one of the butcher trades in Konoha, in turn working closely with the Haruno’s. Anyone who worked with the Haruno’s tended to eye her with anger or resentment, if not shun her altogether. A decent amount of them even refused to let her buy from their stalls. Usually she had to go to the marketplace with Shikamaru or another friend just to buy groceries. To see this man acknowledge her without a trace of unpleasantness filled her with a great bit of relief. This would make moving out much easier. Maybe things were finally settling down after two long years.

Deciding to test the theory Sakura wandered towards a pastry shop that had refused her so many times that she’d given up on ever tasting their sweets again. The door was propped open and the heavenly scent of baking breads and sweets billowed out into the street to tempt any early morning passerby. It made Sakura’s mouth water. 

Stepping inside cautiously, Sakura glanced around for the clerk and immediately found the matronly woman who used to glare at her coldly behind the counter dusting flour from her apron. The older woman didn’t meet Sakura’s eyes, instead looking over her head, but she did put on a polite smile to ask, “Good morning, can I get you anything?”

With wide eyes Sakura requested an order of anko dumplings and a custard filled pastry. She placed her payment on the counter and watched silently as the clerk bustled around putting her order together.

The woman placed the neatly packaged treats on the counter. “Have a nice day.” She still wasn’t meeting Sakura’s eyes.

“Thank you.”

Sakura took the bag and made her way down the street, a wide grin splitting her face as she popped one of the dumplings in her mouth. It tasted like victory. It had been a stiff transaction, and she hadn’t missed that the matronly clerk hadn’t called the standard “Please come again!” but still, it was progress. It was hard not to be cheerful at the idea of walking comfortably through the village again.

A familiar flower shop came into view. Sakura was on her way to share this bit of good news with her friend. Surprisingly, Ino was already awake as well. Sakura had expected the blonde beauty to still be asleep after the impromptu party she’d thrown last night. Ino had more to drink than the rest of them combined.

Ino was in civilian dress, as she usually was when she had the time to tend her family’s shop. She was cutting the stems of a handful of violets from her mother’s personal shop garden and arranging them into a bouquet. There were already bellflowers and hydrangeas there. Sakura recognized the arrangement. 

“Someone ordered an apology bouquet?” Sakura asked curiously, hanging on the fence over Ino’s shoulder.

“Hinata told me that Asuma-sensei did something to piss off Kurenai again.” Ino replied without looking up from her task. She’d already sensed Sakura’s approach. Her pupil-less eyes were narrowed in concentration, ever the perfectionist when it came to her flower arrangements. “I figured he could use a hand. That man can be so clueless, I swear.”

“I’ll bet it’s because he was trying to smoke again.” Sakura mused. “I saw him trying to a couple nights ago but Anko stopped him.”

“That would definitely do it.” Ino agreed. “Her pregnancy rage is easily awoken though. It honestly could have been anything.”

When she finally looked up after putting the last violet into place her eyes widened and a teasing grin graced her already beautiful features. “You’re wearing exactly what you wore last night.” She said almost accusingly.

Sakura glanced down at her crumpled shirt with an internal curse. She should have known that would be the first thing her gossipy friend would bring up. Ino just had an eye for those things. In her good mood about the shift of the civilian attitude towards herself Sakura had forgotten that Ino would immediately take notice of such a juicy detail.

“So, who was it? Kiba? I know he’s been trying to get back into your pants again. Did he finally manage?” Ino giggled, already knowing it wasn’t him. She just loved teasing Sakura about her former relationship with their overzealous friend.

“No, though it wasn’t for lack of trying.” Sakura groaned. “I think he chased my clone halfway across town before he figured it out.”

Ino clutched her sides as she laughed uproariously, a little too loudly for so early in the morning. An older man passing by threw her a disapproving look but continued on without comment.

“Shut it Pig! And to think I brought you a snack.” Sakura complained as she dragged her friend inside the shop, away from prying eyes and ears.

“Oh come on, Forehead. You know I was kidding.” Ino chortled before turning pleading eyes onto Sakura. “You couldn’t deny me, could you? I haven’t eaten anything yet, I’m starving!” She pleaded.

Sakura hopped onto the shop counter and tossed the bag to Ino. “It would serve you right.”

Blue eyes lit up happily as she dug in the bag and found the pastry with her favorite filling. “You spoil me! Now I have to hit the training field today, or I’ll get fat.” Despite her words the blonde kunoichi bit into the snack with enthusiasm. “So who got you these?” She asked after swallowing, still being nosy. She joined the rosette on the counter. 

“I bought them.” Sakura grinned, reaching a hand into the bag for another one of her dumplings.

" _You_ bought them?” Ino’s eyes widened in surprise. “These are from that old hag’s place aren’t they? I thought she was one of the ones who hated you!”

“Yep!” Sakura replied. Her legs swung to a lively rhythm in her head, in high spirits. “She was a bit unsociable, but otherwise there was nothing. No dirty looks or telling me to get out.” 

“It worked!” Ino exulted, jumping to her feet. “I knew it would!” 

“What worked?” Sakura demanded. She had no idea what her friend was talking about. 

“Oh, that’s right. You weren’t back yet when it happened.” Ino’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Sakura glared at her friend with impatience. “When _what_ happened? I thought you liked gossiping, since when are you slow to get to the good stuff?” Sakura teased to soften the look she knew was on her own face.

Ino shoved her good naturedly in response to the jab. “Because this isn’t gossip. The day before you got back Shikaku called for a meeting with the clan heads.”

Sakura blinked at her, waiting. That kind of thing wasn’t too uncommon. The clan heads met often, to settle minor disputes before they turned into bigger issues. Shinobi squabbling over training ground use usually. It was most often the Yamanaka’s arguing with the Aburame’s because the Aburame bugs caused a lot of interference with the Yamanaka’s clan jutsu; Each bug had its own consciousness.

“ _All_ the clan heads.” Ino gave her a weighted look. Sakura apparently didn’t jump to the conclusion Ino wanted quickly enough because after a moment she added on, “Civilian clans too.”

“Oh.” Sakura started, beginning to understand. “Oh!”

Ino nodded, beaming. “Shikaku announced your clan affiliation at the beginning of the meeting. And he may or may have not made a passive aggressive statement about not tolerating clan discrimination before the meeting was over.” She winked.

“He did that?” Sakura gaped at her. She hadn’t thought Shikaku noticed something like that. He was already so busy.

“Of course.” Ino scoffed. "Dad let me come to this one, the look on Kizashi's face was priceless! Like a child being scolded."

Sakura blanched. "He wasn't angry, was he?"

"What? It didn't seem like it, but why? Do you care?"

Sakura paused. _Did_ she care? In a way, yes. She didn't hate him, but Sakura was sure her worry came from not wanting to stir up trouble for Shikaku. The Haruno’s have cut clans from business before, Sakura remembered being a child and hearing her former father rant about clan relations at the dinner table. About what a pain it was for both sides, but necessary to garner the correct level of appreciation and courtesy for the Haruno’s worth to the village.

Ino took in her expression. “You didn’t think he didn’t notice the way you were treated in town let alone tolerate it, did you? He just couldn't do anything until you had a clan behind you.” 

Sakura pursed her lips into a pout. “You’re not in my head right now are you?”

“Like I’d need to be.” Ino’s long ponytail swung as she shook her head in amusement. “Your face is an open book, when it comes to the Nara’s at least. Your sex life on the other hand is a whole other issue.”

“Only you,” Sakura groaned in defeat, “Only you could go from a conversation about clan disputes to something like that.”

“What can I say, it’s a gift.” Ino sang. “Now spill. I already overheard Yoshino yesterday saying that you didn’t sleep at home the other night either. Was it the same guy? Was he any good? Are things serious? Do you have a boyfriend you haven’t told me about?” The blonde kunoichi was in full interrogation mode.

"I- of course not!" Sakura stammered under the barrage of questions. Sakura jumped off the counter as if physical distance would help her against Ino's thirst for information. If she wasn't so focused on looking anywhere but Ino’s face, she would have noticed the blonde snatch up the piece of paper that fell from her pocket.

"Oooh, so it's _him_. I must say I'm surprised, he doesn't seem like your type. Too wild and irresponsible." Ino hummed after reading it. Sakura whirled to face her and finally saw Genma’s note in her hand.

Ino had an achingly familiar look on her face, a saccharine smile but her eyes were a little off, a nearly unnoticeable shadow over them. She’s seen that look before. Sakura felt a stab of panic and was quick to deny what her best friend was implying. "It's nothing like that. We're just…" her voice trailing off as she looked for a delicate way of putting it. ‘Lovers’ was too intimate and could be taken the wrong way. They were really good friends, but they weren't dating.

"Just fuck buddies." Ino offered bluntly, raising an eyebrow.

"Ino!" Sakura blushed but didn't deny it. It was a crude way to put it, but true.

Ino tilted her head to the side, studying the pinkette's expression. The blonde knew Sakura wouldn't lie to her like that. "You might want to tell him that." She said finally.

"Huh?" Sakura gave her a questioning glance that turned to mortification as Ino began reading aloud. Apparently there was a backside to the note that she completely missed.

 _“I'll be on a mission for a week, two if there are complications. When I get back I'd really like to talk to you about something. Could we meet for dinner? My treat of course.”_ Ino reads. “It’s signed with a G but I recognize the handwriting from a few reports that Ibiki made me read about poison use in interrogations. He must really like you, Genma doesn’t take girls to dinner, just to bed.”

Sakura stared at her friend. First and foremost that definitely wasn’t true. Genma took plenty of girls on dates, one night stands didn’t mean they weren’t still dates. And he so did _not_ have feelings for her! Genma wasn’t interested in being tied down, she’d heard him say it plenty of times over the years, even before they became involved. There was just no way… Sakura thought back to last night, how he’d asked her to just stay the night. It had turned into sex anyways of course, but he’d been uncharacteristically serious, gentle even. It had been more sensual than she was used to experiencing from him. Suddenly Shikamaru’s words from yesterday were in her head.

_"No matter how you both were dressed it wasn't just sexual tension that filled the room. It was more than that. It was unnerving as your brother to see for sure, but honestly it looked like Genma two-point-oh to me so I just had to make sure you knew what you were getting into."_

_No way, no way. Is_ **_that_ ** _what Shikamaru meant?_

"There's no way." Sakura echoed her own thoughts weakly.

"I figured it was something like this, I just didn't know it was you."

Ino was complaining but Sakura didn't hear her until she said Genma’s name. "I'm pretty sure it's true, I can't come up with another reason that Genma would turn me down. I made a pretty persuasive offer but he told me no! I didn't connect it before because he doesn't seem like the one girl type of guy, which is infuriating because I _never_ read people wrong."

Sakura blanched. That wasn’t like him at all. Those two used to flirt all the time. They definitely had a mutual interest but Ino liked to play hard to get for the first few months, that was just the blonde kunoichi’s personal code. She said it made things more fun in the end. So she finally offered herself to him but Genma had _turned Ino down_? Sakura’s mind raced. The way he’s been acting lately, Ino’s rejection, Shikamaru’s vague observation… It was all pointing in that direction.

Wait.

Genma two-point-oh?

Kakashi…

Shikamaru had somehow noticed Genma’s alleged feelings even before she did, and assuming it was true, had he been trying to say he thought Kakashi liked her too? 

“Hello? Forehead, are you even listening to me? Earth to Sakura?” Ino waved a hand in front of her friend’s face.

“I have to go.” Sakura breathed out. She turned on her heel and made for the door.

“Huh?” Ino exclaimed.

She had to know if it was true, and there was a surefire way to find out about at least one of them. Sakura offered a quick excuse to her confused friend. “I forgot, I was supposed to stop by the hospital and give Shizune an additional report from my last mission.” She called over her shoulder to a gawking Ino as she dashed out of the shop, “You can have the rest of those dumplings!”

“We aren’t done talking about this!” Ino called after Sakura exasperatedly but made no effort to follow her.

It wasn't long before Sakura was at the hospital. She still had another half hour before Shizune began making her rounds but it was best to hurry. She nodded politely to the woman behind the registration desk, who nodded in acknowledgement but didn't question her presence. These days she didn't spend very much time at Konoha General, but Sakura had spent countless hours here when she was completing her medical training with Tsunade. She was well acquainted with most of the staff and they had all come to respect her.

Sakura quickly made her way upstairs towards Shizune’s office. Behind that was the records room. It was locked by an A-rank seal but it was almost child's play for her at this point. It would only take her about two minutes for her to dismantle the seal in a way that she could revert it back so it would appear untouched. 

She didn't feel like explaining to Shizune why she was here. That would be so awkward.

_Sorry Shizune, I was just investigating whether or not two of the hottest shinobi in the village might have feelings for me. I made sure to put everything back, don't worry._

Definitely not a conversation she wanted to have.

Sakura’s fingers paused their work as she felt a familiar prickle shiver up her neck. Maybe it was her nerves for technically breaking the rules, but it almost felt like she was being watched. There were several injured shinobi on this floor so it wasn’t possible to get an accurate read on possible chakra signatures. She glanced around swifty and reassured herself that she was alone before finishing up the last few components of the seal break.

Once the door was open Sakura went directly to the file drawer that held all the seduction corps shinobi files. 

She finally pulled Genma's file after thumbing through the 'S' section. Everything was filed alphabetically. She set aside his medical file, that wasn't what she was after, and flipped to the page she needed.

Any sexually active shinobi were advised to go through these examinations, but seduction-nin were the only ones required to take them monthly. Not even Sakura, who could scan herself for unwelcome disease, was exempt from these exams.

It was the questionnaire that came alongside the physical portion of the exam that Sakura was looking for. Seduction-nin were obligated to disclose all their sexual partners. It had been shocking for her at first but eventually Sakura got used to it. Maybe it was socially invasive but in the end it was very beneficial for tracking disease, and very few people had access to these anyways.

She began scanning it intently, eyes flicking back and forth as she followed each word down to line in question. Her eyes grew rounder and rounder as she flipped back a few more pages, repeating the process with each one.

Four months. He hadn't slept with anyone else in four months. Including when two months ago she'd been gone on a mission that lasted three weeks. Suddenly she was struck with the memory of her return from that mission, how she thought he'd seemed almost clingy at the time. Now Sakura knew clingy was exactly what it had been. There was no reason for Genma to change years worth of habit like this unless… It was true.

Her heart pounded painfully.

 _Damn it. We talked about this. He_ **_promised_ ** _._

Standing abruptly, Sakura hurriedly but precisely returned Genma's file to order and put it back where it belonged. Then she began thumbing down the H's, reminding herself that she needed to come down here and officially file a paperwork change for this corp. She should have done it years ago…

There was no way for her to find confirmation about Kakashi from his file, but she was going to read it anyways. Taking in and reviewing information always helped her calm her mind. 

Sakura passed her own name and her fingers paused as it went straight from Haruno Sakura to a long line of Hyuga’s. Where was Kakashi's file? Yuugao had let slip during one of her classes that she and Kakashi had been in the same advanced seduction class, so why wasn't he documented? She knew he wasn't a fan of paperwork but there was no cutting corners in the seduction corps.

Shutting the file drawer with a snap, Sakura moved over to the medical files instead but hesitated as she pulled his file out. She wouldn't find what she wanted in his medical history, and reading _this_ file without a professional reason would be an insane breach of trust. 

Despite his usual display of cheeriness and nonchalance, she knew that her former sensei's past was dark, no thanks to the man in question. She'd heard the whispers about him in ANBU's headquarters but never enough to get a clear picture. She was rarely in headquarters without Tenzou and no one would talk about Kakashi when her captain was around. She wondered about that sometimes.

Sakura remembered the one time she almost heard something concrete. She'd been standing by with Kotetsu waiting for the rest of her team to come back with orders. There were a few others hanging around as well as they were where most ANBU teams were briefed by their captains for imminent assignments.

_"Did you hear about Kakashi's last mission in Cloud country? I heard he decimated an eight man squad without backup."_

_"Well he is absolutely ruthless. Didn't you hear about what he did all those years ago? It ain't for nothing that they called him Friend K-"_

_Tenzou came around the corner suddenly, Raidou on his heels, and cleared his throat. The two gossiping agents straightened instantly, falling silent._

_Sakura, a curious expression behind her mask, discreetly asked, "Called him what, Taichou?"_

_Her captain met her eyes with a frown. "That's not something I should share with you. Maybe he'll tell you himself one day."_

Sakura had immediately wanted to ask why Kakashi would ever do that, but an odd expression crossed his face and he quickly started explaining their mission details. Her attention immediately switched tracks to focus on her job. She'd been newer to ANBU at the time and had been determined to show she belonged here. 

The file felt heavier in her hands as she debated with herself whether it was worth it, and with a small sigh she put it back. A dull thunk sounded as she dropped her head onto the metal cabinet. The smooth metal was cool against her skin. 

What was she going to do? Genma almost certainly had feelings for her, and based off of that (at least according to Shikamaru) Kakashi did too? She felt her cheeks redden at the thought and her hands jumped up to tap them firmly, as if admonishing her body for reacting. Since when was her life some kind of romance shounen? 

It was no secret that she prefered stability. Rules and regulations were her safety net. Even though her daily life was currently riddled with secrecy and political labyrinths it was still pretty simple. All she had to do was one thing: follow her orders. 

Kakashi had been back in her life for only a week and her life felt all complicated. Sakura knew she had to figure this out or she might crack under the stress. 

Sakura straightened up and exited the records room, swiftly putting the seal back into place. She was getting to the bottom of this. She had a perfect excuse to at least go see him. Maybe she could get him to admit something. If not there was a certain raven haired foster brother that she could, and would, corner and question.

She felt more confident with a plan of action. If she was wrong, Sakura could laugh it off and everything would go back to normal.

She moved more quickly now, not giving herself a chance to overthink and made her way towards Kakashi's apartment. An odd feeling gripped at her chest as her steps padded soundlessly over the rooftops, one that made her pulse race, but Sakura shoved it down. She didn't need any distractions right now, she needed to focus. "Think of it like you would a mission." She mumbled to herself, jumping down to the street once she reached the right apartment complex.

She knocked on the door and waited. After a few moments of nothing, she tried the door handle and found it unlocked. Weird… Sakura stepped inside. “Kakashi? Are you here?” Upon receiving no response, she cast her senses into the apartment and came up empty. Kakashi wasn’t home. 

Relaxing a little Sakura moved deeper into the apartment looking for the shoes she’d left the other day. Since she couldn’t get her questions answered, she might as well grab them. They were one of her better pairs after all, better for her anticipated training session with Shikaku later.

She found them in his bedroom, next to the bed. Suddenly she wished she had the shirt she borrowed, but Sakura hadn’t exactly planned for her day to go like this. She’d just have to return it another time.

Opting to put these one’s back on, Sakura sat on the edge of the bed to pull off her shoes. As she stuck her foot in one, she oddly heard the crinkle of paper. Curious, the pinkette reached into the shoe and found a folded paper. Unfolding it, she immediately recognized her former sensei’s lazy scrawl.

“Sorry for scaring you off this morning. I’m helping out with a training session today, come back tomorrow evening for dinner so we can talk. I’ll explain then everything I should have already.”

It wasn’t addressed or signed but it was obviously for her, left where only Sakura would happen upon it. Based on the wording, it looks like Kakashi had expected her to find this yesterday. He wanted her to come back tonight. For dinner. Her heartbeat picked up, the concept hitting much too close to the contents of Genma's note.

I’ll explain everything I should have already… Sakura frowned at those words pensively. That could mean a lot of things. For one it could mean the nagging question of his two year absence, but it could also be an explanation for his behavior this morning. She blushed, growing warm at the memory of his lips on her neck. _For Kami’s sake, what is wrong with me?_ Curiosity burned through Sakura but it would have to wait. Til tonight. There wasn’t anything that could stop her from getting the answers she wanted.

For now Sakura would just have to distract herself. Thankfully she had plenty to do. It was still morning, but it might be late enough now that some of the offices were open. She’d go fill out a few apartment applications then meet up with Shikaku, it would be a good enough excuse for her being in town when he woke up this morning and found her not home. Plus training was always the best form of distraction. 

•~•

By the time it was late enough for Sakura to justify excusing herself from training, she’d learned more than she thought possible. Who knew the Nara had more secret techniques of their own? Sakura had never even seen Shikamaru use half of these before, either because he hadn’t needed to use them or because he hadn’t put in the effort to master them Sakura didn’t know. Shikaku had been vague about it.

She nervously approached Kakashi’s apartment for the third time in the past couple days, hands shoved in her pockets fiddling with the lining. She was definitely late, but it’s not like Kakashi could say anything about that. Sakura was just glad there were less people on the street, not wanting to deal with any gossip fires just yet. Despite her twisting nerves, she was growing weirdly comfortable with coming here so often again. It reminded her of old times. 

Kakashi didn’t answer when she knocked again, and Sakura had to stifle a surge of irritation. He’d invited her over here. The least he could do was be ready for her. After another set of knocking and he didn’t come to the door, Sakura’s irritation faded to concern. Opening the door, still unlocked from earlier today, she stepped into a dark apartment. She knew right away that Kakashi didn’t seem to be home. Her eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully.

Kakashi hadn’t exactly specified a time, and was notoriously known for being late, but to his own home? Sakura couldn’t see it. Maybe something had come up. If that was the case, he would have notified her somehow. Sakura flipped on a few lights and checked around to see if he’d left another note and came up empty. Something was definitely off.

She approached his bedroom and pushed the door open, and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Kakashi’s need for a larger bed came immediately apparent. All eight of his ninken were curled up on his bed, leaving a Kakashi sized space in the middle. It looked like they were waiting for him to come home, all of their heads snapping towards her when she entered, wagging tails drooping a little when they saw it wasn’t him. Sakura turns to Pakkun.

“Do you know where he is?”

The pinkette frowns when the pug shakes his head. “Wherever he is, it’s blocked with seals. That’s the only thing that can prevent a summon. Every time either of us tried to go to him, we ended up in the northern quadrant of town, but Kakashi wasn’t there.”

“Did you try to track him?” 

All the dogs nodded, even Bull. This time Shiba answered, looking guilty. “It disappears when we get to the Inuzuka compound. They have scent dampeners around the whole thing, and the scent was almost a day old by the time we noticed. Too faint to hold up.”

“And we’re not exactly welcome there without Kakashi.” Biscuit adds quietly. The other ninken agreed with a myriad of soft huffs and growls of affirmation.

That was new information to her. Sakura frowned, deep in thought. Kakashi was related to the Inuzuka, she’d recently learned, it was fair for him to have business there. It wouldn’t really bother her if it weren’t for the fact that even Kakashi’s ninken couldn’t reach him. 

That decided it. 

“I’m going to go look for him.” Sakura said, turning back towards the door.

“Wait-” Pakkun called out. Sakura turned to him and the small dog seemed to be hesitating on something. He shook his head. “Just be careful.”

She nods, and leaves. Sakura took to the rooftops. As she ran the kunoichi wondered what could possibly have happened that Kakashi ended up behind a sealed area. Something told her it wasn’t anything good. Was it connected to his strange behavior, the supposed condition? She had been hoping for a deeper explanation of it tonight.

There was a small woodland between her and the Inuzuka compound, and it was faster to cut through than take the streets around so she disappeared under the umbrella of the trees.

She was only in the woodland for a minute or two when a presence flared up behind her. Sakura only just managed to spin on one foot to avoid the sword that came down where her shoulder had just been.

“Identify yourself!” Sakura hissed at the man who had attacked her. He was thin in structure, not much taller than herself, but she sensed an air of strength from him that made her wary. Unless the barrier team had been decimated, which Sakura entirely doubted, this was a leaf shinobi. If he wasn’t there would be village wide alarms going off. But she couldn’t see a headband due to the porcelain mask covering his face. It was a strange mix of feline and canine, a sinister looking smile painted on the muzzle, and Sakura knew for sure she hadn’t seen this particular mask before. Whether this was one of the Hokage’s ANBU or Danzo’s didn’t matter. The fact that she was being attacked at all was cause for concern, and her adrenaline spiked. “Both of you!”

“Interesting.” A second figure dropped down from a nearby tree, this one with an avian mask. “She could sense us both. Smart girl.”

“Yes. I wonder.” The other one muses flatly, twirling his blade idly. “Something’s not right.”

Sakura stared, muscles tensed in a defensive stance. _You’re damn right something’s not right_ , she thought to herself. This pair clearly had no intention to identify themselves to her. What did they want? Both of their stances appeared relaxed, but she could tell they were wound tightly. Sakura was certain they intended to attack again. She had her kunai pouch thankfully, but beyond that she was unarmed. At least she hadn’t worn that skirt she’d considered tonight.

“What do you want?” Sakura called out again, and both of them looked towards her again, silently. 

They don’t answer verbally.

The avian mask disappears in a flash of movement and reappears directly behind her, and at the same time the smiling one lunges towards her, blade held aloft. Sakura ducks and half turns, one leg sliding out beneath her. She sees two blades flash over her head and pushes off her other leg and zags through the trees. Their pursuit is soundless but she has a vague idea where they both are based on instinct and her first impression of their fighting preferences. Based on his initial stance and strike, Smiling mask’s dominant arm was his right, so she trained her senses on her rear left flank while also preparing for an attack from above.

A branch rustles above her and Sakura immediately dodges. Several shuriken embed themselves into the tree where she had just been. They would have struck her gut had she not moved. Sakura’s thoughts raced. The chances that the aim had been off was very low, considering their rank. Body shots like that weren’t inherently lethal, and they had to know who she was, had to know she could heal a wound like that easily.

They weren’t trying to kill her, so what did they want?

Slowly a plan formed. It would cost her half of her chakra, maybe more. She just needed one moment of invisibility to pull it off, but it wasn’t implausible. As long as one of them wasn’t a sensory type, Sakura could do this. When training escape exercises with Genma and Tenzou-taicho, she could hold her own against the pair of them for at least a couple hours before she was overwhelmed, and that was only because they knew her weaknesses just like she knew theirs. Sakura was certain that these two weren’t as familiar with her fighting style as her teammates.

It took a bit of time, more than Sakura liked. She was slowly edging her path towards the Inuzuka compound in the meantime, just in case things went wrong. If she got close enough she might be able to send a clone close enough to call for help if worst came to worst.

As Sakura dove around a particularly thick tree, she managed to simultaneously make three clones and cloak her chakra, sending the clones farther into the woods in different directions while she silently scaled the tree.

Throughout the fight it was obvious that the avian mask wasn’t as fast or as bloodthirsty as his counterpart. Most of his attacks had been made to cut off her movements or aimed to redirect her. But the smiling mask had a very aggressive attack style, striking quick and hard. He’d gotten far too close for comfort several times and while he wasn’t out to kill her, it was obvious the man had no qualms roughing her up. Sakura was sporting a few new bruises and a concerning gash on the back of her thigh. Not fatal, but it stung fiercely and she could feel the blood pouring down her leg. Taking a short moment, she placed a palm on her leg while scanning her surroundings to urge the wound to close a bit and slow the bleeding enough that she didn’t have to worry about too much blood loss anymore.

 _Damn that was fast_. Sakura resisted the desire to flinch as one of her clones was destroyed, its memories rushing into her. It had taken a shuriken to the neck from the avian mask wearer, the pain ghosting through her nerves like a forgotten whisper. Taking advantage of the moment, Sakura took a deep breath and focused her chakra, making the signs she’d been taught this afternoon.

Slowly, she felt herself being drawn back. It was an odd sensation, similar to when she controlled shadows and it felt like moving water… only now _she_ was the moving water. It took only a heartbeat more and Sakura herself had blended into the shadows of the tree canopy. _This must be what sealed items feel like_ , Sakura mused silently before shaking her head. Stupid. She must have lost more blood than she thought.

Her other two clones were destroyed, both with blades to the gut.

The shadow concealment jutsu. Shikaku told her this was a great technique for stealth, and that once she had a better grasp she would even be able to travel between shadows. But for now, she would use it to hide as long as she needed until these ANBU left. Sakura had the added combination of her skill in masking her chakra to thank. Unless she were to reveal herself, she didn’t think they would be able to detect her presence. 

Despite being hidden, Sakura couldn’t help tensing as footsteps came her way. 

“She’s gone.” 

“Shame.” Smiling mask sounded disappointed. “But I guess we got what we needed.”

Avian agreed softly, “There’s more to her than we thought.”

Sakura narrowed her eyes, listening intently. _Come on, say more than that._ “Her skill in Fuinjutsu is what tipped us off, but that quick escape…” He trailed off shaking his head, apparently deep in thought.

Fuinjutsu? Did she hear that right, what would these guys know about that? Sakura held her breath as the possible answer presented itself. This morning in Shizune’s office, that feeling… Was she being watched?

Smiling mask jabbed his blades into the ground, dragging his foot through the remains of her blood on the ground. “I thought between us, we’d have gotten to cut her a bit more. Sure it's ‘interesting’ that she got away so fast, but that’s so _boring_.”

“Come on Jackal. He’ll want to hear about this. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that she was headed towards the Inuzuka. Chances are she’s with Hound by now, we have to report it.”

“Yeah yeah.” Smiling mask grumbled. “One thing’s for sure, that girl’s no chunin. Not in skill anyway. She was toying with us just as much as we were with her. At no point was she _scared_. Too focused, too calm.”

“Agreed. Let’s go.” 

What the hell is going on? Sakura was patient, sorting through her thoughts as she waited for the appropriate amount of time to pass before leaving her hiding space to ensure they were really gone. So they hadn’t been after information she might be carrying, nor were they trying to catch her. They were testing her battle skills, judging her ability. But why?

She wasn’t sure she was supposed to know this because everyone’s mask identity was supposed to be confidential, but even in ANBU Kakashi was infamous. There were very few members that _didn’t_ know the silver haired shinobi wore a hound mask. Was he being watched too? And why did it matter that she was looking for him? 

Sakura didn’t understand what that had to do with her, but it was odd that they knew where he was. She was certain there were pieces to this puzzle that she didn’t have, and even more certain that Tsunade needed to hear about this right away, but first she had to find Kakashi. He was tied to this somehow. Maybe he had more information that she could coax out of him. 

As she slipped out of the shadows and darted towards the compound, Sakura stumbled slightly. “Damn it.” The shadow concealment jutsu had taken more chakra than she thought. Shikaku hadn’t been kidding around. 

Composing herself, she allowed herself to focus on the bigger issues at hand and continued running. Those two shinobi answered to someone, and it wasn’t Tsunade. The Lady Kage had warned her when she joined ANBU that Danzo had his own set of ANBU agents that listened to him and him alone, which astounded Sakura that such a thing was tolerated. Could those two have been some of them, or was it an entirely unknown entity? What was their goal? What was to be gained by watching her? Sakura knew she was a useful and effective weapon, that was the whole purpose for hiding her rank and position, but she couldn’t fathom a reason she would be considered a threat by another Leaf force.

Tsunade would be able to figure it out, Sakura just needed to focus on getting as much intel as she could in the meantime.

She approached the wall of the compound, scaling it with ease. She paused at the top, taking a moment to enhance her sense of smell. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, focusing on each individual scent. Immediately several scents of Inuzuka and their ninken assaulted her senses, but Kakashi’s wasn’t among them. She figured as much. Could she amplify the jutsu? Sakura was sure she could, she’s just never had to. Sakura isn’t sure what the effects may be.

“”Better to leave that as a last resort,” She muttered to herself, finishing healing her thigh and trying to wipe off the blood while contemplating logically where he might be. The scent of blood would definitely draw attention to her and she wasn’t ready to deal with that right now. Where would a visitor go? In Kakashi’s case, Sakura wondered if he might be with the Inuzuka physician. It wasn’t very likely, taking into account his distaste for medical attention, but it was a start. If she didn’t find him there, she might at least find someone she could ask about the silver haired man’s whereabouts. 

Turning her steps towards the south end of the compound, Sakura moved quickly, glancing around her as she went. It was late enough now that the only ones awake would be potential lookouts. The only reason she worried about that was the prospect of having to explain her current condition, so she took efforts to avoid them.

She landed silently on the roof of the physician’s office, scenting the air. Still no Kakashi. Sakura huffed in frustration and jumped down to the street. She could smell Kiba’s sister though, which was unsurprising as she was the head Inuzuka medic-nin. She moved along the side of the building towards the entrance, hoping to talk to the Inuzuka heiress but Sakura’s steps slowed as Kiba’s mom’s scent joined Hana and she heard low, worried voices. Covering her scent, she crept closer. 

“Please let me go back to check on him, I don’t think we should have left him alone this whole time.”

“Two more hours Hana, until then we can’t risk it. For him and for you, anyone besides her is only going to further agitate his condition.”

“There’s got to be _something_ we can do to help.” Hana said exasperatedly.

Tsume’s voice drifted back to Sakura, tinged with resignation and sadness. “You’ve never endured your cycle alone, so you don’t understand the toll separation takes. The only one who can help Hatake now is Sakura, and that’s not an option. Not until he has more control.”

Sakura’s eyes widened, perturbed. Imprinting? Why wasn’t she an option? If he was sick, there was no reason _not_ to call her. She continued to listen, hoping for more. _Tell me where he is_.

Hana was talking again. “I just can’t believe he imprinted before his first cycle. Has that happened before?”

Tsume was silent for a moment before answering slowly. “Once or twice. It’s definitely rare, and according to the records it's never pretty. It hasn’t happened for a long while, before even my time. I’ve only ever read about it. But… it’s not like any Inuzuka has ever presented this late into adulthood. We have no precedent for this. I’m just grateful technology and fuinjutsu has advanced since then, without the nesting bays Hatake would have had it much worse.”

She’d heard enough.

Sakura’s spine stiffened and she quickly turned on heel, running down the next street with a renewed sense of urgency. She knew where those were, and it sounded like they would try to stop her if she offered to help and Sakura wasn’t going to tolerate that. Presenting? Was this some kind of sickness that only an Inuzuka could get? A sudden memory washed over her as she turned down another street. Was it like what happened to Kiba last year? Now that she thought about it… She’d been sent away that time too. 

One moment Kiba had been cuddling against her chest making soft sounds of contentment, and the next he was sweating bullets and growling incoherently like an _actual_ dog. Caught off guard, Sakura had been forced to call out for help, and she and Tsume both had to fight to pry open his jaw because he’d sunk his teeth deep into the flesh below her collarbone and refused to let go. When they’d gotten him off, Kuromaru and Akamaru had pinned him and taken him off to the nesting bays on Tsume’s orders. She’d seen the buildings but hadn’t been allowed to go in and check on him, held back instead by Tsume who had insisted on inspecting the bite wound.

 _“What happened?”_ Tsume had asked, fingers prodding the open wound.

 _“I don’t know, we were just sitting there. Is he going to be okay?”_ Sakura had responded with her own question but his mom had brushed it off, saying Kiba would be fine, acting like Sakura was the one who needed more attention. It had been confusing, the older woman amid standard questions like checking her pain levels was also asking things that didn’t apply to Sakura’s condition at all.

_“Is Kiba angry?” “Can you sense him from here?” “Is his chakra stable?”_

_“I won’t know if you won’t let me examine him!”_ She’d snapped, frustrated.

After that Tsume had grown considerably more relaxed, calmly reassuring that Kiba would be fine in a day or two. 

She reached the nesting bays in record time, and encountered another problem. There were at least a dozen of them, all of them locked behind protection seals. They all also appeared to be adorned with extra seals designed to repress scents and disguise chakra from both the inside and outside. They were intricate, weaved together in a way that if they weren't broken at the same time, it would trigger some kind of alarm. It would take two people. 

Sakura had never been close enough to notice them before, her eyebrows pulled together as thought about what to do about them. She couldn’t sense him with the seals in place, and she didn’t have the chakra reserves left to undo each of them until she found him and still have enough left over to help Kakashi if he was as sick as they made him sound. 

She released her own scent-blocking jutsu to conserve her chakra, and very slowly started feeding more chakra into her nose. She didn’t need to find Kakashi’s scent. She just needed to find Hana’s and Tsume’s, theirs would be fresher and more prominent. 

Almost immediately Sakura’s synapses began firing at an increased rate, getting a rush of feeling as her body responded to the increase of stimulus. She knew right away this wasn't something she should do very often, her body unused to receiving this much at once. 

Quickly focusing, Sakura searched for the strongest traces of the two Inuzuka women. Picking them up right away, she followed them to the farthest building on the left edge of the street. It had to be this one. 

Quickly forming the hand signs, Sakura made another clone and got to work. The timing had to be just right. Seal breaking was meticulous work, irritating the pinkette that she had to move so slowly. Four minutes wasn't a lot in the long run, but considering everything that's happened tonight, the young jounin's patience had worn thin. 

The moment the seals were undone, Sakura had to grip the doorway to keep from falling as a wall of Kakashi’s scent slammed into her, making her world spin at the intensity of it. “Kami-” Sakura breathed out, quickly reversing the jutsu enhancing her nose. It barely helped. Between the smell and her fatigue, she stumbled inside the room more unsteadily than she normally would have otherwise. Her clone dispersed.

The sight that greeted her made her inhale sharply, which turned out to be a huge mistake as her body heat flared and her legs began to shake. She wobbled farther into the room, determined to keep her feet under her. Inside his scent was even more overpowering. 

Kakashi was sprawled out on a bed in the corner, facedown on the mattress with his head facing away from her. Even from here Sakura could see that his breathing was wild and unsteady, his whole backside flushed and coated in a layer of sweat. He appeared to be unconscious, possibly asleep. She could barely process his state of undress, too focused on the bit of red she could see staining the sheets beneath him. They left him alone like _this_? Almost in a dreamlike state, she drifted closer to him. 

Her fingers had barely brushed the back of his arm when her world flipped and her back hit the ground _hard,_ forcing the air from her lungs at the impact. Sakura’s eyes refocused slowly to a handsome face peering down at her, messy silver hair falling around his face, clinging to his forehead. Thin, soft looking lips with a small beauty spot speckling his chin, a defined jawline dusted with silver stubble, an aquiline nose beneath mismatched eyes that were both glazed over and filled with some kind of emotion that Sakura couldn’t process in her current state. 

For the first time Sakura was seeing Kakashi’s face. He was beautiful. His scar came further down his cheek than she ever realized, slowly reaching a hand up as if to touch it. Before Sakura could, her hand was pinned to the floor in a firm grip, jolting her out of her reverie. What was she doing?

“Sakura...” He whispered hoarsely, “Are you really here?” An odd sound was drifting from him, almost like a purr.

“Kakashi- I’m here. You need to let me up, okay?” Sakura blushed furiously, wiggling slightly to see if she could get up. She had finally processed that the man straddling her hips was wearing absolutely nothing. She's seen plenty of naked men in her line of duty, it didn't exactly bother her anymore. However, something hard, and very _very_ warm was pressing into her stomach, sending a sudden wave of arousal through her core as his scent washed over her again, drowning her senses in him. Without thinking her body relaxed in his hold, no longer in a hurry to move from this position.

He leaned down towards her, his eyes trained on her lips. Slowly he closed the distance between them and Sakura’s pulse jumped as his lips touched hers. His real lips. Slightly chapped, but soft and warm and slotted perfectly with her own. With him so close, his mouth watering scent, Sakura couldn’t hold back the whimper of approval as her body thrummed in response, chin tilting up into the kiss.

At the sound, Kakashi’s eyes sharpened into awareness and he jerked back, his face crumpling with pain as he did so, heavy regret burning in his eyes. “No, not again damn it!” He mumbled to himself, retreating back until he felt the bed brush the back of his legs. One hand ran through his hair in frustration. “This isn’t me.”

Sakura sat up slowly, panting as heat continued to flood her body. Her eyes were hooded with desire and Kakashi swallowed harshly as the scent of her arousal filled his airways. His other half was furious with him for his resistance.

_Her. Her. Want her. She wants me. Just let go already._

Kakashi growled at himself, and he immediately took notice of the way it held Sakura’s attention, the woman pulling herself from the floor and coming towards him with a sultry look in her eyes. Kakashi felt a flare of want and panicked.

“You- need- to- leave-” He pants each word like every breath was agony. 

Her eyes cleared for a moment now that she could see the wounds on his chest and arms from the earlier restraints, caked blood dry on the already closing wounds. Sakura tried to step closer and she could see a visible tremor wrack his body. “Kakashi-”

He was losing, and fast, his other half growing impatient. _She’s right there. She came here for you. She wants you too. Only her. Only her. Only her._ “Go! _Please._ ” Kakashi groans, “I can’t stop it- I don’t want it this way- just GO!” He growls, jaw snapping as the urge to pin her to the bed made his fingers twitch. 

"Kakashi you're sick, and you're hurt. Let me help." Sakura insists, continuing her approach. 

_Definitely sick_ , Kakashi agrees grimly, his eyes roaming her figure against his better will. Her scent was driving him insane to an unbearable point. He took one more shallow breath and held it to keep her scent at bay. There was only one option. The door was open, if he could get far enough away then he could endure this out alone like he was supposed to. It shouldn't be much longer now. 

He took one step and was forced to stop as pain gripped his lower half even more excruciating than before. Kakashi panted laboriously, it was just like before. He felt tethered to her scent, to her. _Only her._

Kakashi grit his teeth in frustration. _Damn it, I can't leave. Not good, at this rate– "_ Hah, don't-" He hisses in pain as Sakura places her hands on his chest, not because her touch was rough. No her hands were always gentle, and Kakashi hated that he loved it, that he wanted more. The words were directed at himself, the pain coming from the sheer effort of resisting his baser instincts as her chakra invaded his body. The flow of her energy seemed to set every every nerve of his body on fire.

"Sweet Sage, Kakashi… What's going on with you?" Sakura whispered, eyes going wide at the flood of information. _How is he even conscious? He's in even worse condition than the times he hospitalizes himself._

Kakashi's hands wrapped slowly around her waist and Sakura didn’t take notice at first, too busy studying the fluctuations in the man's chakra. 

A low, throat ripping growl filled the room, raising the hairs on Sakura's neck. 

" _Get away_."

_~•~•~•~•~•~_

_Ruts and heats tend to require isolation, obviously barring imprinted pairs and mates, for many reasons. For their own safety and for others, because our minds and bodies tend to be solely focused on reproduction. Over our lives, the strength behind these urges tend to weaken, and usually by our mid-thirties isolation no longer becomes necessary._

_Before imprinting, heats and ruts are much more manageable as there's no set person, to put it crudely, for your energies to focus on. Upon imprinting, suffering through a heat without that person present is much more unpleasant as you are willing to do anything to be near that person. Even more so if you're mated, I've heard horror stories about suffering through your cycle without your mate. I've never experienced this myself as my own heats were more infrequent and Sakumo was always home for them, so I don't have any experience to draw on for this explanation, but I watched my mother suffer this whenever my father was sent away on a long term assignment. She was in constant pain, and there was nothing I could do to relieve her of it as she forbade me from coming near her. Sleep would spare her consciousness, but even then her body seemed to draw in on herself as if she couldn't bear it._

_Mating and imprinting are two very different things. Imprinting is something that's a little harder to explain, as even we don't understand the true cause of it. All we do know is that mates who have imprinted first have never separated. They are forever devoted to one another. Not to say non imprinted mates can't remain together successfully of course, it happens often enough, but an imprinted pair always seems to be on another level of understanding with one another._

_My own imprinting process was outside of what's considered normal, because I did not imprint on someone who was within the clan. It changes the process. Only an Inuzuka is capable of imprinting, making it a mutual experience between clan members. It often happens between those with a close bond of trust and loyalty, though that isn't always the case... Only one thing about it is certain about the process, once it has happened it will never happen again with anyone else._

_~•~•~•~•~•~_


	14. Interruptions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has literally been done for about a week now but I wasn't able to post it because I was caught in a work -> sleep -> work -> sleep cycle, so apologies! Honestly though, I have made the decision to stop giving myself deadlines to finish each chapter because all they do is stress me out. I will be finishing this story, so there's no reason for me to make it harder on myself.  
> But here it is! Enjoy hehe.  
> As always your comments fuel me everyone, I know I usually respond to each and every one of your comments but I just didn't have the energy for it this time unfortunately. But! Sincere thanks to all the encouragements from those of you who said so. It feels really good to be writing again. This fanfic really is my baby and the fact that so many of you are dying to know what happens next? Ugh, y'all make my heart disgustingly soft.
> 
> (I cannot tell you how long I sat here reading and re reading this chapter, making sure it was ready. It's almost 5am and I think I sat down at my desk sometime around midnight xD Lemme know if there's any glaring spelling/grammar mistakes)

•~•~•~•~•~•

" _Get away."_

Sakura looks up at Kakashi as he speaks, tensing at his dark tone.

But he's not looking at her. 

Sakura turns her head, movement catching her eye. 

Kiba stood in the doorway, eyes wide and panting hard. "Sakura, what–"

 _Oh no._ The kunoichi's eyes widened, immediately trying to distance herself from her former sensei. This was bad, being seen like this. "Kiba..."

Sakura realized too late that she couldn't move, Kakashi's hold on her was unyielding. "I said leave." She shivered at the animosity she heard, at the dark look on his handsome face. Sakura’s only heard Kakashi's voice like that a few times. When he was protecting someone. 

Kiba ignored the warning, stepping inside with his eyes fixed on Sakura. His fangs were bared, a low growl rumbling in his chest. "Let her go."

Kakashi's grip on her waist tightened, his scent growling stronger and stronger, as if _commanding_. It makes Kiba retch suddenly, his face twisting in distaste but for Sakura it was blissfully dizzying. Her head began to spin and her vision swayed dangerously. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders a little to ensure she stayed standing. The older man growled in response to the younger man's words. The sound raised the hairs on Sakura's neck, it sounded like an unspoken challenge. 

Glancing at Kiba, it seemed like it was a challenge he planned to accept. The young Inuzuka prowled forward and Sakura was shunted behind Kakashi as he stepped forward, shielding her from Kiba's view. Kakashi took a step towards him poised offensively. 

"W-wait, Kakashi. Stop it." Sakura said weakly. Her brain was working sluggishly, but even she could see that the older shinobi planned to attack. He clearly wasn't thinking straight. 

At the sound of her voice, Kakashi paused, his head tilting towards her, but it only lasted a moment as Kiba took that opportunity to attack. His head snapped back towards his enemy and with a low snarl he jumped into action. 

Sakura watched, horrified and ready to intervene, but before she could two large ninken raced into the nesting bay. Akamaru tackled Kiba to the floor, holding the younger male down and covering him defensively with his larger body. "Akamaru! Get off, let me go! She's–" The white dog ignored him, unmoving against his struggling. 

Kuromaru leapt forward and shoved Kakashi back, but instead of attacking again he halted in front of the Kiba and Akamaru, baring his neck in submission and making soft docile noises. Kakashi paused, inhaling deeply. 

_What the hell is going on?_

As another figure appeared in the doorway, Kakashi took slow steps back until he could trap Sakura in his arms again, softer growls rolling in his chest repeatedly as he buried his face in her neck, as if seeking comfort. Sakura, bewildered, hesitantly ran a hand through his hair, listening as the growling halted at her touch only to start up again as soon as she stopped. 

"Tsume?" Sakura called out inquisitively as the clan head stepped into the room slowly. 

"Sakura. What the hell are you doing here?" The woman's voice was at a low whisper, but Sakura could hear the upset and anger in it, but she didn't seem surprised by the way she was wrapped in the older shinobi's arms at all. Kakashi raised his head and glared at Tsume, fangs flashing silently. Another wave of his scent rolled out, making Sakura shiver. Tsume's nose twitched and the woman grimaced, as if in pain. She brought a hand to her face and covered her nose.

"I was looking for Kakashi. What's wrong with him?" Sakura demanded. 

Tsume shook her head slowly, trying to edge her way between Kuromaru and the others under Kakashi's unrelenting stare. His lip curled angrily when she stepped too close. "There's too much to explain and not enough time to explain it. Has he, uh… tried to…?" She gestures at his lower body with her free hand and Sakura lowers her eyes, embarrassed. "Not exactly, no."

"He was resisting," Tsume sounded amazed but she was shaking her head slowly, voice flooded with resignation, "but any chance of that was ruined by Kiba."

"What do you mean?" Sakura asks, still caged to Kakashi's chest. His growling had started up again as Tsume continued to speak, increasing in intensity if she stepped too close.

"I mean he won't stop himself anymore, the best thing you can do now is handle yourself like a kunoichi." Tsume words were clipped, like she didn't want to be saying them. Sakura resisted the urge to blush at the veiled implication, her body still crawling with arousal despite the current company. She was trying really hard to not focus on the fact that she knew everyone present could smell it. "I don't know why you're here, but I never intended for you to be. This isn't something you should have had to deal with." _Yet_ , the clan head added silently in her head. 

"Make her go. She smells so bad. Hurts." Kakashi groaned brokenly, breath uneven against Sakura's neck. His eyes were pinched shut.

"Tsume." Kuromaru warned.

"We have to go now." The head Inuzuka started backing up, Kuromaru and Akamaru inching backwards as well, the younger ninken shouldering Kiba towards the door insistently despite the young man's protests. "We have to replace the seals. _You_ might be able to use your chakra Sakura, but barely. As long as Kakashi can't everything will be okay."

"So you know what's happened to him? He's going to be okay?" Sakura threw one last question at the retreating Inuzuka.

"He'll be fine. Let's go Tsume." Kuromaru barked shortly, ushering Akamaru and Kiba out the door and disappearing. Tsume hovered in the doorway, hesitating. "I _will_ explain the rest when he's calmed down, but I really have to go. All I can say for now is that during the next couple hours he's going to be very intense, and then after that he's going to be exhausted but incredibly affectionate. He won't be very lucid. 

Good luck."

Tsume closed the door and nodded to Hana, who immediately started helping her reset the seals.

"Mom!" Kiba exploded angrily. "What the hell are you thinking? She can't be in there with him, it's not safe!"

Hana lifted her head from her task and responded uncharacteristically, icily, "You stupid brat! If you hadn't barreled in there like that she might have been able to leave."

"Hana." Tsume admonished softly, and the elder sister fell quiet reluctantly as Tsume returned her attention to her son. "She wouldn't have left, that's not the kind of person she is. And if we tried to remove her, that wouldn't have gone well for either of them, or us. Letting her stay was the right choice." Tsume leveled her gaze at Kiba, fixing him with an intense stare. "There's no safer place for her than where she is right now. He wouldn't dream of hurting her, do you understand me?"

Understanding dawned his features. Kiba's eyes widened and his face slackened with shock, before twisting with anger. "That's impossible!" He denied vehemently.

Tsume and Kuromaru growled in unison at his stubbornness, before the ninken spoke warningly. "You and I both know it isn't. If you don't stop trying to force a bond with that girl, you're only going to hurt yourself, and her, in the process. _Let it go_." 

A string of curses tumbled from Kiba as he stormed off. 

"Keep an eye on him." Kuromaru huffed, nodding to Akamaru who barked in affirmation and trotted after his partner. The wolfish ninken then turned to his own partner. 

"As much as I know it couldn't be helped, I am worried for them."

Hana nodded silently in agreement. Tsume sighed, frustrated. "I was hoping to avoid this. If Kakashi is anything like his mother, he won't be having another rut for a long time. If he could just have made it through this first one alone… It would have given him longer to work things out with her. This– This is too _sudden_."

Kuromaru lowered his head. "We can only wait and see."

Tsume turned to her daughter, who was glancing around looking distracted by something. "Hana?"

"I thought I smelled something, it's nothing." The younger woman shook her head. "We should go, I'm going to need help preparing for when they finish."

•~•

Sakura couldn't think. She could only _feel_. 

Any remembrance of duty had flown out of her mind the moment he'd placed his hands on her. Any worries of tonight's attack, of Kakashi’s potential feelings, or his condition, none of it mattered. They simply were not as important as feeling more more more. She had goosebumps but her skin was on fire, and even with the heat blistering through her Sakura couldn't stop shuddering. 

It felt like his lips were everywhere. Tasting. Licking. Sucking. Biting. And she couldn't get enough. 

Everywhere he touched left rivers of lava that replaced the blood in her veins. "Ka– _Kakashi!_ " 

"I can't stop." Kakashi half groaned, half growled. His voice was ragged with lust, eyes dark and desperate. The way he looked at her like a lifeline, his hard body pushing against hers, made Sakura feel something _new_ . His words were spaced between heavy kisses across her collarbone, moving up her throat to her jaw. "I can't, not now– _Sakura._ "

"Then don't." Sakura gasped, her fingers tangling in his unruly hair to hold him to her. "Don't stop. Keep going."

Somewhere in the back of her mind Sakura might feel ashamed of her behavior, for falling to this situation so easily, so _readily_ , but she consciously shoved it down. It was almost shameful how much she wanted this right now, but she couldn't bring herself to care. So much for kunoichi training. Sakura chose to drown in this feeling, this... strange contentment that told her everything was okay because damn was it better than the alternative.

At her admission all the tension left Kakashi's body. His hands roamed down her body freely, fabric ripping as he shredded her clothes, fervently trying to bring himself closer to the heat of her soft skin. Calloused hands slid down her waist, down her backside, gripping her thighs and urging her upwards. A satisfied moan sounded low in his throat as Sakura complied, wrapping her legs tightly around his hips. He could feel her soaked core pressing against his aching length.

Sakura rocked her hips in his hold, sliding his length between her dripping lower lips. She tried to muffle a broken whine into her fist as the tip of his manhood slid against her clit, sending a blinding wave of pleasure through her body, but was unsuccessful in muffling the sound when Kakashi pinned her arms to the wall behind her. Her cry of pleasure broke the air around him, making his mismatched eyes darken further, almost impossibly. He was rolling his own hips to match her movements now, panting as her slick coated his shaft.

"Mine." He growled against her lips. " _You're mi_ _ne_."

Sakura moaned as he caught her lower lip between his teeth. "More. Please–"

" _Fuck_."

•~•

Kakashi was certain he was dead. He just couldn't decide if he was in heaven or hell. Her scent was _everywhere_ , he could almost taste it. The beast in him purred knowing he would probably be smelling of her for days after this, and her of him. 

His body was rejoicing while his mind could only lament in the background. This isn't how it was supposed to go. If he had ever one day allowed himself to move forward like this, he would have been gentle, appreciative, _tender_ , not wild with lust. 

But Kakashi didn't have the willpower anymore to stop, not when she begged like that. No sooner than those pretty words dropped from her lips he was carrying her towards the bed, intent on fulfilling her every desire because he was a slave to his own. 

She was drinking him down greedily with a searing kiss that was all teeth and tongue. She spelled a teasing display of her control, making him groan into her mouth and sending a jolt down his spine right to aching cock. Hastily he dropped her onto the soft mattress, following her down unwilling to separate from her touch for a moment. 

No words were exchanged as he pressed his cock against her entrance, only needy whimpers breaking the air between both of them, encouraging them both to continue. Kakashi had never been this hard in his life, if the angry red skin of his shaft was anything to go by. The last several hours had been agony, senselessly cumming dry over and over as he hounded for relief, but no matter how hard he tried the burn never went away.

Kakashi focused on biting back what would assuredly be a pathetic moan as her slick warmth soothed his straining erection. It felt incredible, his dreams couldn't even begin to compare. His ego swelled dangerously at her stuttering gasps as he slowly sheathed himself inside her, his thick length stretching her walls apart. Kakashi knew he was well endowed but he didn't normally think that size mattered too much. To him a tool is only as useful as it's wielder's ability to use it. But the way Sakura's eyes widened, her head falling back and mouth dropping open in a cute 'o' from just him settling inside her soaking inferno, plush walls already gripping him so tightly… it had a wicked smirk fixing itself on his face, the points of his canines only just visible. If she was already impressed with just this, she would be in shambles the when he finally started moving. He knew how to pleasure a woman. 

"Think you can handle it?" 

Her head snapped up, and Kakashi saw a fire beginning to blaze over seas of emerald, the sight making his cock twitch excitedly. "Mmnh, _yes_. Are you going to fuck me now Kakashi?" Sakura slurred kittishly, already lust drunk and fluttering her eyelashes as she placed her hands on his chest. Kakashi's breath hitched, her words slicing through his restraint as easily as blade through skin. Her scent flared suddenly as she traced random patterns across his skin, making him growl lustfully. 

That was all the warning she got. 

Not holding back anymore he began snapping his hips, gripping her waist tightly as he ploughed into her deeply. Each stroke had his pelvic bone bumping against her clit, and his balls were full and heavy, slapping against her ass with each thrust. Sakura raised her legs and wrapped them lightly around his hips so that he could still move. Her wanton mewls and moans filled the air, the sound of Sakura's sweet voice calling out to him seeming to steal Kakashi's very breath away. He could listen to it forever, it was an addiction he never wanted to recover from.

"Oh gods yes ah yes!" She keens, her nails raking down his back as she clutched at him almost desperately. The slight curve of his dick was rubbing against that one spot inside her that made her eyes roll wildly with each thrust, driving her to an orgasm much faster than she was used to. Kakashi groaned in response, enraptured and unable to look away from the lewd display of euphoria gracing her face as her pussy gripped his cock suddenly, her walls spasming around him. Her eyes looked so content, clouded with bliss as she moaned and murmured _'kashi'_ over and over like a prayer. Something inside of Kakashi snapped. His balls tightened, his spine beginning to melt as he bucked into her erratically, cumming in her with almost violent spurts. Kakashi couldn't stop the gruff animalistic howl ripping from his throat as he _finally_ felt a sliver of relief. It was as if every dark thought he'd ever had was being exorcised, a rush of energy, light and pure, flooding his veins. Kakashi's hips continued rutting at odd intervals as he came down from his high. His teeth were buried in the soft flesh just above her heart.

"My girl." He panted blearily once he detached, not quite aware of his own words. He pressed a palm down on her lower tummy, lips quirking happily as Sakura sighed happily at his touch. He ran his tongue over the bite mark soothingly, catching the droplets blood that had appeared before they could slide down the curve of her breasts. It was already beginning to bruise. "Mine. Mine. Sakura. Stay." _Again. Again. More. Need her. Need more of her. Give her more._

Sakura was still coming down from her own pleasure, eyes opening slowly to see him staring down at her. She felt no pain, only a wondrous sensation of utter completion. His eyes betrayed a softness that made her heart flutter strangely, but his face was still taut with a rapt hunger. For her. She gasped and moaned as she shifted her hips and found him still hard and pulsing inside her. She purposefully clenched around him, watching his eyes darken again as she did, and they both knew in that moment that they were far from finished. 

The next few hours were a hazy blur of pleasure and contentment. Sakura couldn't count on one hand how many times she climaxed, her limbs shaky from the sheer exertion of it all. It was quickly forgotten as Kakashi's mood slowly but surely changed from carnal to something softer. Their bodies never parted for a moment. 

The older shinobi curled himself around her, cuddling her close and mumbling sweet nothings into her neck that she couldn't hear over the sound of her own pulse as he ground his hips against hers lazily. His primal side seemed to have been sated, leaving him peaceful and satisfied. He didn't fight her when she eventually repositioned them so that she was in his lap, his back to the wall and her bare chest pressed to his. His hands moved to cup her soft mounds, kneading them gently as his lips immediately found her rosy nipples, sucking them into his mouth with an almost reverent disposition until they pebbled against his tongue. He was sweet, licking and sucking languidly, in a way that wasn't meant to heighten sexual energy but simply to show how much he appreciated her presence, practically worshipping her body with his tongue. 

Sakura normally didn't allow such intimacy, but this… this felt as natural as breathing. 

His lips were so soft that Sakura found herself humming contentedly as small tingles of pleasure fluttered down to her core from Kakashi's gentle ministrations, rocking her hips slowly to feel the drag of his, amazingly, still half hard cock that remained nestled inside her. Sakura hadn't known stamina like that was possible. Kakashi’s arms tightened around her waist peaceably, simply trying to pull her closer. The kunoichi almost felt like she could fall asleep like this, despite that it must be dawn soon. At the realization of how many hours had passed, a wall of fatigue dropped on her shoulders.

Kakashi mumbled something and Sakura looked down, gently pulling his head away from her pert breasts so he could speak freely. 

"What?"

His head fell back to rest against the wall, silver hair a mess as glassy eyes stared up at her. Sakura knew her hair probably looked worse. "Please don't leave me." 

Sakura felt a sudden pang of aching sadness, swirling inside her like an echo, and her vision began to swim as exhaustion took over. She struggled against it, wanting to remain for conscious to continuing speaking with him. "I-i won't. I wouldn't do that."

"Please don't. Everyone always does." He sounded so vulnerable that it actually pained her to hear it. Sakura frowned in concern.

"Kakashi..?" Black dots spotted her line of sight. Kakashi looked to be swaying slightly as well. 

"I love you." The whispered words hit her ears just as sleep took hold of her. His head dropped onto her shoulder, following her into a dead sleep. 

•~•

_Crackling blue light. A beautiful brunette girl._

_Blood pulsed around his wrist, hand impaled in her chest. The slick and tattered tissue of her heart throbbed wetly and brokenly around his hand only once before shivering to a stop. The blue light faded immediately. He could feel the deep cuts in his own flesh where her ribs resisted his violent invasion, shattering and ripping into him. The wet suction of her muscle and sinew opposing his frantic retreat made bile rise in his throat. More blood gushed over them both as he finally pulled his hand free._

_“Ka-kashi.” She got out his name in a strangled whisper before falling back, her lifeless gaze staring up at the sky._

_Screams tore from his throat as he pulled her into his arms, rocking her back and forth and sobs hiccupped in his chest._

_Everything went dark the moment something ripped her from his arms, one hand still reaching for the body. She would get cold if no one held her._

Sakura woke up with a start, sitting up sharply, her arm outstretched as she cried out. "Rin!"

Taking a deep breath, the kunoichi shook off the strange dream. She touched her face, surprised to find her cheeks wet. "What was that?"

It took her a moment to realize she was completely naked. Sakura leapt from the bed, pulling the sheet with her. Her body felt pleasantly sore, muscles totally rested and relaxed. She panicked for a second, forgetting where she was before last night's memories hit her like a brick. Her cheeks flared instantly, dream forgotten. 

Oh.

Gods.

She and Kakashi had had sex.

Several times. 

And it was _good_.

Better than good, easily the best sex of her life. She'd seen him naked, seen his _face_ , and he was painfully handsome. The image of his smirk, the permanently bemused slant of his lips presented itself in her mind's eyes, making her heart pound, burned into her memory forever. 

"Kami what have I done?" Sakura bemoans quietly, pinching the bridge of her nose as her thoughts fire in every direction. What was wrong with her? She slept with her superior! And not just any superior, but Kakashi! One of her closest comrades, her former sensei for Kami’s sake. Gods, if her captain ever found this out she could get in so much trouble. _Oh fuck! Tenzou and Ka–, they're actually friends!_ Sakura was ready to shrivel up on the spot out of embarrassment, crouching and rubbing the heels of her palms over her eyes. This wasn't the same as Genma, not even close. So many people could raise hell about it. _Stupid stupid stupid!_ There would be hell to pay if _Tsunade_ found out.

 _Lady Tsunade_ _!_ Sakura gasped internally, her self deprecating thoughts skidding to a halt as she remembered last night's attack. Damn it, she had to report her findings right away. 

She spun looking for her clothes, only just noticing that Kakashi wasn't in the room. Part of her was annoyed that he'd disappeared again, but the rest of her was admittedly relieved. She wasn't sure how to face him after all that. She couldn't, not yet at least. Not without time to gather herself.

Sakura found last night's clothes, shoulders slumping at the sight of the tattered pieces of fabric. They were totally unsalvageable. She glanced down at the sheet she was wearing wondering, unamused, if she could fashion something out of it, but upon seeing the several large white stains decided against it. 

Stumped, she dropped back into the bed. Sakura needed something to wear, she couldn't be seen like this. She cupped her arm, subconsciously covering her tattoo. Her very fingertips almost went numb as she paled in realization. _Her tattoo._ There was no way he hadn't seen it. A distressed and disbelieving laugh bubbled in her throat. How could she have forgotten herself so completely? 

Immediately Sakura began pacing in front of the bed. _Okay, calm down Sakura_. _Y_ _ou were both out of it. Maybe there's a chance he wasn't lucid enough to pay it any attention. You were both occupied with other things._ Her foot brushed something soft and her pacing halted momentarily as she paused to pick up the item. 

"My pillow?" Sakura murmured, confused. She glanced around, and noticed several articles of clothing strewn on and around the bed. She picked up a half sleeve shirt. "These are mine. What?"

Confused, but oddly relieved, Sakura pulled the shirt over her head and dug around until she found a pair of pants. They were a bit dirty but it was a heavy improvement from a robe of stained sheets

Almost as soon as she had pulled the hem of her pants over her hips, there was a soft knock on the door and Hana poked her head in. Sakura breathed silent thank you to whoever was listening that she'd gotten dressed when she did. 

"Where's Kakashi?" Hana's face was twisted with confusion as she entered the room. "Did you lower the seals?" 

Sakura shook her head. "I only just woke up. Kakashi probably did it so he could leave." 

"He shouldn't have been able to, his chakra control isn't like yours." Hana muttered, almost to herself. 

Sakura had to agree, but on the other hand she couldn't help but think to herself that Kakashi's tenacity (stubbornness) was second to very few shinobi once he put his mind to something. He _is_ an S-rank shinobi. She couldn't blame him for wanting to escape. Had Sakura woken first, she almost certainly would have done the same. 

Hana was still talking to herself, very cross. "That idiot. I needed to check him." Sakura almost snorted with amusement. "That's probably why he left, he doesn't like 'being checked'." 

"Men, I swear.." The other woman sighed, before glancing at her. "I smell blood, I need to check you too.

Sakura cringed inwardly but kept her face clear, not wanting to show the other woman the bite marks on torso. She could feel several of them littering her chest, sore and slightly stinging. "That's leftover from something before I got here," The excuse came quickly and easily, the truth hidden in this lie crafting a perfectly delivered falsification, "I already healed it, but there was no time to wash." 

Hana's eyes were guarded as she slowly appraised Sakura's visible skin, raking over her neck and arms. Eventually she nodded, as if satisfied. "My mother's waiting, she's itching to speak with you. She wanted Kakashi there as well but I guess it can't be helped."

The pinkette moved to follow her but halted as a small puff of smoke cleared to reveal a fist sized slug on her shoulder.

"Katsuyu?" Sakura exclaimed, surprised. Hana turned around.

Her optic tentacles wiggled slightly in greeting. Katsuyu's soft voice carried an unusual air of authority. "Sakura, Lady Tsunade needs you right away."

Hana's expression turned to one of strain. "Can it wait?"

Katsuyu's eyes turned towards the Inuzuka heiress. "No it cannot," she intoned gravely. "She needs to go immediately."

Sakura set her jaw, hiding her reluctance. Of course. She was so close to some answers but of course she would have to wait. Again. Nothing was ever that easy. She tampered down the frustrated response she wanted to give the summon, it wasn't Katsuyu's fault. Instead she sighed, "I'm sorry Hana, please tell your mom I will come back as soon as I possibly can. And I'll drag Kakashi with me by the neck if I have to." Sakura added, failing to hide her irritation this time.

Hana nodded tensely already making her way towards the door, to report to Tsume Sakura could only assume.

Just in case the older woman was still close enough to hear, Sakura asked discreetly. "Do I need to be travel ready? Everything I need is at home." Katsuyu, having summoned her on a few occasions, understood immediately. "Yes, but you must hurry." Sakura nodded, already started to run. If she needed her uniform, it was definitely bad. As she crossed the compound wall, she saw that she hadn't been asleep as long as she thought. The sun hadn't even reached its peak yet, not quite midday.

Katsuyu hadn't dispersed, leaving the young kunoichi curious and wary. "Katsuyu? What is it?"  
  
The slug seemed to hesitating as if deciding whether to tell her or not. "Its Naruto. He missed his third check in."

"He _what?_ That can't be true." Sakura's chest tightened as she denied it, but she was already increasing her pace, practically flying through the trees. Katsuyu wouldn't lie to her about something this serious.

Long term assignments had a system of communications via reports that helped measure the progress of the mission, as well allowing the Hokage to keep track of their shinobi's whereabouts.

On a mission like Naruto's, where he had been gone for more than a year, _two_ years, he was supposed to check in at least once a month. One missed check in was cause for concern. Two was bad news, and an investigation was ordered. Three missed check ins... You were assumed to be killed in action. Or worse, got you placed in the bingo book for desertion. As a rogue-ninja.

And the Naruto that Sakura knew would never desert his village.

Worry settled heavy in her heart. "Naruto... Damn it, you idiot what are you thinking?" She muttered, changing her path so that she could skirt the outer streets of the village towards her home, wanting to avoid as many people as she could. Wincing suddenly, Sakura turned her head to the slug as she ran. "Have we heard from Sas-"

Katsuyu interrupted. "Lady Hokage will brief you and the team when you arrive. For now just focus on getting there. We don't have time for so many questions."

"Okay okay," Sakura huffed, beginning to speak quickly. "Then listen for me. I have to report something to Lady Fifth, but it sounds like I won't get the chance. Please tell her for me, it can't wait. Last night I encountered..."

  
  


•~•~•~•~•~•

Surveillance Report x0695 

ID: Jackal, Harrier

Target: Hound, Secondary

Our combined intel informs us that the secondary target's abilities extend far past what meets the eye. We made contact and her performance surpassed expectations. Appraisal, A rank- minimum. After ending contact, we waited in order to follow her to her intended location. As suspected, she made contact with Hound.

Additional notes: We were able to confirm Hound's condition through the Inuzuka head at a calculated risk. It is now certain that he is ready for Project Cross. Alongside this information we learned that the secondary target is definitely the one. We were not detected. Jackal was able to secure the secondary target's involvement. Requesting further orders. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, a lot of you guys are probably thinking "damn, they got intimate... fast." Hehe wellll, I really enjoy a good sense of realism and imo real life isn't smooth or perfect. It's messy, complicated, and hella stressful. Yes this *is* a love story, but love? That shit is haaard, and this story will be no different ^-^
> 
> Alrighty, moving on. I've already started working on the next update and after this chapter I feel obligated to admit it will be another flashback. However, there will be some other aspects I will be addressing. I will be including a short guide(?) that explains how this storyline differs from the canon, at least up to current date. For the most part a lot of it is pretty similar but there are a couple very significant changes that I hope will interest everyone :3


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